Destiny
by ade5kira
Summary: Hey this is a new story. It's a RenOC and HaoOC, and i hope you like it. Chapter 26 is up, and its the end! For now, at least. XD
1. Chapter 1: Shaman King

**Author's note: This is my first fanfic, and I'm quite nervous, but I hope that my fic is at least pleasant. It's going be a Ren/OC and Hao/OC, and please do give me your comments on how I can improve it and what I did wrong. I actually planned this with my friend, snow-angel-anna who has already posted the first chapter of her fic. Our fics are similar, yet different, so please do check out the fanfic entitled Miracles.**

**Chapter 1- Shaman King…**

"Shaman fight, semi-finals one. Tao Ren versus Aizawa Lyn. Ready…Fight!"

"Bason in Thunder sword!"

"Archangel in Heartblade!"

Lyn smiled when she saw Ren's oversoul shrink. Compression of furyoku. Just as expected of the famed Tao Ren. He had, after all, fought alongside Asakura Yoh in that battle against Asakura Hao four years ago.

"Hao…" Lyn looked out the corner of her eye to where the spectators were sitting. Her gaze slid past hundreds of faces, then came to a rest on a boy with long brunette hair and huge earrings. Four years ago, he had been a person most people hated or were afraid of. Everyone had thought that Asakura Yoh had killed Hao, and so they had been shocked when he had reappeared a year later. Even now, many shamans did not trust him.

In her opinion, he wasn't that bad. Even then, when he had been considered evil, there had been a spark of good in him. He was kind in his own way, no matter what others might think or say. She shook herself out of her thoughts and barely dodged an attack from Ren.

"Focus man! Ren's strength is his speed. You can't let your guard down against him. Besides, he has a furyoku of at least 14,700." Lyn muttered under her breath. She leapt towards him, sword at the ready.

"Golden slash dance!"

Lyn flew backwards from the impact of the attack. She had been cut quite badly in several areas and she could feel blood trickling from those wounds. Her oversoul had been broken once.

"How the heck did she get to the semi-finals in the first place? I could beat her hands down!" Horo Horo exclaimed in disgust. Lyzerg looked towards him and shook his head, disagreeing with Horo Horo's attitude. "Don't underestimate her. The fact that she got to the semi-finals must mean something right? Besides…I don't think she's showing us her true power yet. She has a furyoku of 13,500, and even though she started out as an unknown, I've heard her name being whispered a lot lately."

"You should have given up the moment you heard the name Tao Ren. I am going to become the next Shaman king…because I am invincible! So why don't you just surrender now!" Ren said, smirking. Lyn shook her head, laughing at Ren's confidence. "Isn't it a little too early to give up? I didn't come this far by chance! Don't you think you're being a little too complacent? It's still too soon into the match to declare who the winner will be. At this point of time, anything can happen. Besides, I'm just warming up! Archangel in Heartblade!"

Lyn smiled at Ren's shocked expression as her oversoul compressed. She shrunk her over soul to the size of Heartblade, then she stopped. She waited for Ren to recover before she made her next move. She unlocked Tsubasa from Heartblade and grinned at Ren's expression of pure horror. He recovered quickly and lunged for her, slashing at her. She blocked all his attacks with ease, and even managed to hit him on his arms several times.

With two swords in hand, she felt whole. This was the style she had been trained under since she was four. Her father had been a strict teacher, well-versed in Kendo and an average shaman. She attacked Ren and he blocked, and what followed was an exchange of blows which resulted in numerous injuries on both of them. Then, they both increased the amount of furyoku in their oversouls for one attack, and when the two oversouls each came in contact with the other, there was an explosion which knocked both Lyn and Ren back. Ren was just preparing for another attack when Lyn released her oversoul, laughing.

"I come, I go." Choco Love tried to make a joke of what had just happened. Hao stared at him in amazement. How _COULD _he tell such stupid jokes? The next thing he knew, Anna had whacked Choco Love on the head. "Please do not tell such jokes, banana comedian…"

Ren stared in shock as Lyn walked away. A gust of wind blew at her short brunette hair, ruffling it. In that instant before she had released her oversoul, her deep blue eyes had been sparkling with joy. This girl was definitely weirder than Yoh. Ren clenched his knuckles. "How dare she…how dare she walk away from our battle like that…"

"Shaman fight, semi-finals one, end. The winner is…Tao Ren!"

The crowd roared with approval.

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"Shaman fight, semi-finals two. Asakura Yoh versus Katsumoto Kaede. Ready…Fight!"

"Amidamaru in Harusame, in Spirit sword!"

"White Dragon in valkyrie!"

Kaede let out a sigh when she saw Yoh's oversoul shrink. She was not strong enough to compress her furyoku, unlike Lyn, and Yoh was using his double medium, meaning that she was seriously overpowered. However, one thing that the spirited Lyn had taught her was never to give up no matter the odds. The wind blew her shoulder-length blonde hair into her hazel eyes, and she pushed it back behind her ear. Then, she used the rock pillars around her as stepping stones and leaped up into the air, firing her projectile weapon.

"White meteor!"

Yoh watched as Kaede's oversoul streaked towards him. He was the very image of calmness as he slowly lifted his sword up and sliced the oversoul into half. He would not lose this match. He could take things easy once he became the Shaman King. Besides, just imagining Anna's reaction if he lost made him tremble.

Kaede was stunned with the ease at which Yoh had broken her oversoul. That had been her ultimate oversoul, and she had used her strongest attack. She created her oversoul again and White Dragon swung its sharp tail towards Yoh. Yoh stopped that attack with his sword, and White Dragon pushed its tail towards Yoh. They stayed there for awhile, pushing back and forth, before Yoh swung back, then slashed forward again. White Dragon flew back, crashing to the ground.

"Amidamaru style Halo blade!"

Kaede's oversoul broke a second time and she fell to the ground on fours, panting. Not that she had expected anything less from the great Asakura Yoh. She got up and walked over to Yoh, and held out a hand to congratulate him with a smile. Yoh grinned and shook her hand.

"_ROAR!_"

Manta jumped out of his skin as Ryu roared and rampaged. "…Ryu…calm down…" Despite Manta's plea, Ryu continued shouting incoherently, drawing unnecessary attention to himself. Horo Horo growled in frustration and whacked Ryu's head with his snowboard. "Why don't you just _GROW UP _already, dude!"

"Shaman fight, semi-final two, end. The winner is…Asakura Yoh!"

A deafening cheer filled the stadium. Hao stood up, smiling. The finals would be interesting. Yoh versus Ren. Maybe a definite winner would finally be picked in their long standing stalemate. He looked to his right and saw with a start that a small smile was playing on Anna's lips.

"The Finals will be held at the main arena tomorrow. I'm sure that all of you are hungry after all that excitement. Our restaurants provide meals, and are open for business until late at night, so don't forget that!"

Hao laughed at the announcement made by Karim. How like the priests to grab every money making opportunity which appeared.

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The next day dawned bright and early, but despite the early hours, the main arena was packed. Every Shaman wanted to know who their King would be. The air in the arena was tensed and packed with electricity. As Lyn took the seat beside Kaede, she felt a shiver of excitement down her spine. It was finally the long awaited finals between the two most favoured to win. Both Yoh and Ren had an almost equal number of supporters. However, if Ren lost, his supporters would still cheer for Yoh and vice versa. A hush fell over the spectators as Yoh and Ren stepped out onto the arena.

"Shaman fight, Finals. Asakura Yoh versus Tao Ren. Ready…fight!"

"Amidamaru in Harusame, in Spirit sword!"

"Bason in Thunder sword!"

Yoh grinned as both he and Ren compressed their furyoku. This was a friendly match but neither one would give the other any chance.

"Amidamaru style Halo blade!"

"Golden slash dance!"

Their attacks met in the middle and there was a huge explosion. Ren jumped through the smoke only to find that Yoh was no longer standing at his original position. He looked up to see Yoh streaking down towards him. Ren increased the amount of furyoku in his oversoul and swung, meeting Yoh's sword and pushing so Yoh flew back.

"Ha! I knew that this was not going to be easy, but I'm not going to lose!" "Me neither, Ren…Can you imagine Anna's reaction if I lost? I shudder at the thought…" Ren grinned at Yoh's comment. He could just imagine Anna screaming at Yoh, and increasing his training schedule. Regardless of how Yoh would suffer, he would not give way.

Ren barely managed to deflect a jump slash from Yoh. They then descended into a flurry of attacks, one occasionally gaining the upper hand.

Yoh panted as his attack was deflected once again. They had been at a stalemate for over an hour now. They were both exhausted by the effort of having to maintain their oversouls for such a long period. The battle had started out as a test of strength, but had now developed into a test of attrition. He put all his remaining furyoku into his oversoul and saw Ren do the same. He gave Ren a grin and saw Ren smirk in return. They both knew that this attack was the deciding factor of the match. They both leapt into the air and when their oversouls met, there was a huge explosion followed by a bright flash of light.

Lyn blinked sand from her eyes and scanned the arena for any shadow through the smoke. Who had won? Who was the Shaman King? When the smoke cleared, she saw Yoh and Ren standing with their backs to each other, and both of their oversouls had been broken. Their shoulders were heaving, an indication of their exhaustion. The problem was…whose oversoul had broken first?

"We are unsure of whose oversoul broke first, so we will have to discuss this, and all will be done by the will of the Great Spirits. The results will be announced in three hours time, so please feel free to have your breakfast at any of the restaurants. We apologise for the inconvenience caused."

Silva watched as Karim walked towards him after making the announcement. This was sure to cause heated debates amongst the priests. He and the other priests walked solemnly to the cave where Goldva was.

Hao was sitting at his seat in silence. That match had been so close. But he had seen it all. Both their oversouls had broken at the exact same time. Just _who_ would be declared shaman king? Probably Yoh, since he had been the one who had defeated him in that battle four years ago. That would be to his merit. "Yoh! Ren!" Hao jerked out of his thoughts when he heard Lyzerg shout, and he saw Yoh and Ren lying face down on the ground. Both of them had passed out from exhaustion. Ryu carried Yoh and Pai Long carried Ren, and they left the arena and headed back to the inn so that Yoh and Ren could rest.

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"Asakura Yoh's oversoul broke a split second before Tao Ren's…"

"No! Tao Ren's broke first!"

Silva sighed as the priests argued over whose oversoul had broken first. Then, Goldva held a hand up for silence and a hush fell over the priests.

"The Great Spirits showed me everything very clearly. Their oversouls broke at the exact same time."

"Then who should the Shaman King be?"

There was a pause following Silva's question. Then, the priests started taking sides and a heated debate ensued.

"Asakura Yoh is stronger than Tao Ren."

"Tao Ren could match Asakura Yoh with ease."

"Asakura Yoh has a stronger will!"

"Tao Ren is strong in his own way, and he is younger, leaving more time for him to grow."

"Asakura Yoh is older, meaning he is wiser."

"Wisdom does not come with age alone."

"Asakura Yoh was the one who had defeated Asakura Hao four years ago."

A silence fell over the priests at Silva's statement. Then, one by one, they slowly nodded their agreement. Goldva was nodding her head in consent when there was a sudden beep from Silva's oracle bell. He stared in shock at the announcement on it, and when he read it out loud, there were exclamations from everyone present.

"This should not be allowed!"

"What are the Great Spirits thinking!"

"Stop arguing! It is the will of the Great Spirits…"

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As Lyn took her seat at the arena, the air was buzzing with excitement. When Yoh and Ren entered, a roar was heard from the crowd. Lyn stared at them. They had fainted from exhaustion earlier. At least they seemed better now. Then, the priests entered and a hush fell over the spectators. Silva stepped up on the stage to make the announcement, and Lyn sat on the edge of her seat, barely breathing. She glanced at Kaede on her right and saw that she was seated rigidly on the edge of her seat.

"The Shaman king is…Asakura Yoh!"

The crowd roared their approval.

"_And_…Tao Ren!"

Dead silence…

Heartblade. This is actually a sword made of 5 swords locked together. The five swords are in acscending order of strength Tsubasa, Phoenix Flame, Murasame, Dark Entity and Ancient Warrior.

**Author's note: Umm...hope you liked it...please do review to tell me what you thought about it. Oh and yes...I got my inspiration for Heartblade from Cloud's sword in FF advent children. Remember to check out miracles by snow-angel-anna.**


	2. Chapter 2: Under the eyes of the heavens

**Author's note: Thanks to all who reviewed! I'm glad you all liked it…anyway, here's the 2nd chapter…once again, please review and give me your comments on how you found it and how you think it can be improved…hopefully, you all enjoy this chapter as much as the first. Oh and I put both Yoh and Ren as Shaman King because I thought that it would be cool to try something other than the usual YohShaman King style. Oh and snow-angel-anna has updated too, so check it out!**

**Chapter 2- Under the eyes of the heavens**

"The Shaman king is…Asakura Yoh!"

The crowd roared their approval.

"_And_…Tao Ren!"

Dead silence…

Kaede heard Lyn gasp in surprise. She agreed with how Lyn felt. It _was_ unexpected that there were two shaman kings. She herself had expected Asakura Yoh to win.

"It _is_ surprising, isn't it? I had expected my younger half to win…" Kaede let out a gasp and turned around only to see Hao leaning forward. She stared at him, her eyes wide open in shock, and he smiled at her. Kaede flushed and whipped her head back, but she could still feel his steady gaze on her. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, biting her lips nervously.

"Leave her alone already! Can't you see that she's uncomfortable with you staring at her like that!" Lyn turned around and growled at Hao. Kaede looked at her in surprise. It had been a long time since she had seen or heard Lyn so annoyed. Lyn turned to her and grinned, then turned back to the front. "Hooray for our Shaman Kings!" Lyn began clapping and cheering.

Kaede felt her cheeks grow hot as all eyes turned and stared at Lyn, but one by one, people started joining in the clapping and cheering. Soon, Kaede found herself clapping along while laughing at Lyn. Lyn was the only person she knew who would do as her heart told her to without a care for what others thought. It had been that which had caused her to start looking at Lyn as a younger sister. As if she could read her mind, Lyn turned around and gave her a wide smile.

"There will be a barbeque party tonight in honor of our Shaman Kings. Tickets can be purchased at all restaurants for ten patch each. Please note that all restaurants will be closed at night, due to the celebrations."

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That night, Ren stood quietly with Yoh and the rest. They, along with all the friends they had made during the first Shaman fight were all congratulating Yoh and him. Yoh was thanking them modestly, but Ren simply nodded, his face showing as much expression as a stone would.

"Hey guys! Congratulations on becoming the Shaman Kings!" Ren gave a slight start when he suddenly heard a cheerful voice behind him. He turned around to see Lyn grinning at them, and Kaede standing beside her. "Yes. Congratulations…" Kaede said, smiling gently now. "Thank you!" Ren heard Yoh say, and he nodded to Kaede, ignoring Lyn.

"I'm going off now…" Ren said quietly in Yoh's ear. Yoh looked up at him, ready to ask him why he was leaving so early, but when he saw the sad expression in Ren's eyes, he nodded. "Yea, sure. Are you going to come back soon or do we head back to the inn without you?" "You guys head back first…I don't know how long I'll be…" Ren replied before turning and walking away.

"Hey…why did you just walk off in that match with Ren?" Lyn turned around and saw Hao and Yoh. She grinned and opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw_ Him_. "Tell that old man to give it up and _stop_ sending assassins after me. And if _you_ continue getting in my way, I swear I will kill you _with my own hands_…" _He_ whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened and she stared at _him_ in shock. _He_ patted her shoulder and smiled before walking away.

"Who was that? What did he say?" Kaede asked, peering anxiously at Lyn's face. "Umm…it was nothing…I just need to be alone for awhile. Sorry." Lyn replied with her head lowered. She then turned and ran away. "What was that all about?" Hao asked, looking at Kaede questioningly. Kaede shrugged, shaking her head. "I don't know either…"

_You're so different from what they say._

_You're so kind…so gentle…nothing like what they say at all._

_No longer a ravaging wildfire, instead, a gentle flame._

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Hao was pleasantly surprised when he saw the Hanagumi heading towards them, Machi running ahead as usual. He smiled sadly and waited until they were closer before greeting them. "Yo." "YO! MASTER HAO!" Machi threw her arms around him, causing him to stumble back. "Long time no see, Master Hao…" Mari said shyly, her head lowered. "Yea…it's been a long time." Kanna said, looking away from the corner of her eyes.

_I tried to use their souls for the spirit of fire._

_And yet, unlike the others, they've stuck by me._

_They still treat me as their Master._

_The powerless me._

"YO! CONGRATULATIONS ON BECOMING THE SHAMAN KING! And that purple haired guy with the spiked hair…Len, was it?" Machi shouted, grabbing Yoh's hand in hers and shaking it so vigorously that his head trembled along. "Mari congratulates Master Yoh…" Mari added in her usual monotone. Kanna sniffed and looked away, but held her hand out anyway. "Thank you!" Yoh replied, grinning as he shook her hand.

"Where _is _Ren anyway?" Kanna asked Yoh. "Umm…I think he should be looking at the stars at the usual spot…" Yoh replied, scratching his head and staring stupidly at the sky. "Mari…Mari doesn't think we should disturb him…if he's looking at the stars…" "WHATEVER! Let's grab some FOOD before we STARVE TO DEATH!"

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Ren leaned against the tree, looking at the stars. He let his memories wash over him. He had come so far, changed so much, all of that thanks to Asakura Yoh. And yet, he wanted nothing more than to defeat him. But even now that he was the Shaman King, he still had not beaten Yoh. He clenched his fists. "Why can't I beat him?" He growled through gritted teeth.

Ren's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of running feet. The next thing he knew, he heard the crashing sound of someone falling to the ground. He jumped up and saw Lyn sitting on her bottom. "Ouch!" She tried to get up but grimaced in pain.

"Where does it hurt?" Ren asked as he walked towards Lyn. She looked up, surprised to see him. "The left ankle…" She replied, biting her lips. Ren squatted and lifted her leg onto his. He untied her shoelaces and gently slipped the shoe off. "Oww…" Lyn bit her lips and clenched her fists. "It hurts that badly?" Ren asked her doubtfully. Then, the shoe came off and he realised why it hurt so much. Her ankle was as swelling very badly.

"Come on…let's get you back to the inn…" Lyn looked up at Ren and shook her head. "No…the whole reason why I came up here in the first place was to look at the stars. Ren raised an eyebrow questioningly, but left it at that. "Whatever it is…just tell me when you're ready to head back. I'll be right here."

_What am I thinking?_

_What am I doing?_

_Is this really me?_

_Me, concerned for another?_

"What did you trip on anyway? The ground here is flat, and there doesn't seem to be anything to trip on. Lyn flushed when Ren said that. "I tripped on my own feet…" She stared indignantly at Ren when he began chortling. "Are you always such a klutz?" Ren asked, still laughing. Lyn punched his arm indignantly. "So what if I am?" She asked, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Why did you just walk off like that during our match?" Ren asked, looking at Lyn questioningly. "I…I had no intention of becoming the Shaman King. But I decided that since I had made it so far, I would just confirm for myself that the person who stood a chance of becoming the Shaman king was strong enough…" She replied, grinning. "That's not the only reason, right? There's something else…" Lyn nodded her head, her face grim.

"What did you come here for? To look at the stars? Why?" Ren looked up in surprise. "I was thinking of how Yoh and I are both the Shaman Kings now, and yet, the stalemate between us still exits. I'm just frustrated. I want to defeat him more than I want anything else. And I was also thinking about…my past…" Ren said, looking towards the stars for comfort. "Painful memories, huh?" Ren nodded. He expected her to ask what exactly had happened, but she didn't.

He looked into her eyes, and suddenly, he felt like he could pour his woes out. He told her of the tattoo, the curse of the Tao family. He told her of the day he had seen the zombie army for the first time. Before he realised what he was doing, he had told her of the day he had first killed a person.

_What have I done?_

_What have I told her?_

_Will she turn away in disgust?_

_Why…why did I tell her so much?_

_She doesn't ask, she doesn't probe._

_Could she actually…understand?_

"Why…why don't you say anything? Are you so disgusted by the fact that I killed a person? Are you going to ask me why? Ren asked, his voice hard and cold. "No." He looked up in surprise at her answer, and she smiled at him. "You're wondering why I'm not going to dig deeper? That's because I believe that if you don't say anything, it's because you're not ready. And I know how much it hurts, how much it angers, when people try to force the answers out of you. I believe that you will tell me when you're ready, and I'll be ready to listen when you're ready to talk." Ren looked at her, expecting to see pity on her face, but all there was in her eyes were sorrow, and…understanding. She smiled at him, a smile which warmed his heart.

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Lyn sat down for a little longer, looking at the stars. When she was younger, her mother had told her that the stars were the eyes of the heavens, the eyes of God. And wherever she went, they would be there, watching over her. Thinking about that always filled her with peace. She turned and looked at Ren, who was staring at the stars, his eyes peaceful.

_Everyone has their own sad stories.  
__Their own sad dreams.  
__Even you.  
__But they will watch you, and they will guide you.  
__So do not be afraid.  
__You will never be alone._

"Ouch!" Ren turned around when he heard a sharp gasp of pain and saw Lyn trying to get up. "What are you doing? Come on…I'll carry you back…" He said, squatting down so he could lift her on his back. "No…I'm fine…I can walk on my own…" She insisted, even though she was breathing heavily from the effort of standing on her injured ankle by now. Ren sighed and grabbed her hands, putting them around his neck, then lifted her up on his back. "What are you doing!" Lyn gasped, pummeling his back. He started walking so suddenly that she nearly fell off and she threw her arms around his neck, breathing heavily.

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Kaede sat on a bench at the village square, staring at the splashing water of the fountain. As a child, she had loved water. It had seemed to her such an amazing thing, so gentle, yet so destructive at the same time. One day, she had been peering into the depths of a pond, and she had leaned out too far, causing her to lose her balance and fall in. She had nearly drowned and had been semi-conscious by the time she had been pulled out by her father. Ever since then, she would panic as soon as her legs could not reach the bottom of anything filled with water.

As she was deep in thought, a shadow blocked the light from the lamp beside the bench, and she looked up to see Hao. "Yo!" He said, smiling. "Hey…" She replied quietly, looking away from him and hoping he would just go away. Instead, he sat down next to her. "You didn't look very happy when you were fighting Yoh. Was anything causing that?" Hao asked, looking at her questioningly. "I don't…really like fighting…" She replied, playing with her hands nervously.

"So…what are you doing out here? It's late…" "I'm…umm…I'm waiting for Lyn…" Kaede replied, biting her lips nervously. "Oh? She's not back yet?" Hao asked with interest. "Yea…" Kaede replied, staring at her feet and shifting uncomfortably.

"Am I really that scary? You always seem so uncomfortable when I'm around." Kaede looked at Hao, then shook her head. "No. You're nothing like what others say at all. Maybe you used to be cruel, but you're kind now." Hao gave her a wide smile. "Thank you. You're the first person to say that to me. Besides Yoh, of course."

"Are you always this quiet?" Kaede gave a start, then nodded her head. "I find silence comforting. I even used to find laughter annoying, before I met Lyn. She taught me to laugh, to smile." "Why? What made you think that way?" "When I was younger, before my parents divorced, I would hear them quarrelling constantly. It seemed to me that every time they spoke, it was to find fault with one another. After awhile, I got in the habit of shutting out all sounds when they were fighting, so it would just be me and that comforting silence…and when I saw others so happy with _their_ family, I would feel annoyed that they had the love and joy I did not…" Kaede took a deep breath, then _made_ herself stop playing fidgeting.

"Do you always find it this hard to relax around strangers?" Hao asked, laughing amusedly. Kaede flushed. "Yes. I was an only child and I grew up alone, so I get uncomfortable around people I don't know."

_Why did I tell him so much?_

_I don't know him…and yet, I'm opening up._

"Lyn…she's a joker, isn't she?" Hao asked, his eyes distant. "Don't see her simply as a joker. She can be serious when the situation calls for it…" Kaede replied, studying his distant expression. "She's like a younger sister to me…I know it's weird because I just met her, but that's just the way it is…" Hao added, smiling peacefully.

"DAMN IT! I told you to put me DOWN!" Hao looked up when he heard someone shouting, and saw Ren carrying Lyn on his back, with her pummeling his back furiously. Ren stopped and sighed. "Will you STOP that already? You can barely walk and you KNOW it…" he growled impatiently. He then started walking again, so Lyn had no choice but to put one arm around his neck or fall off. Hao saw Ren's eyes filled with a warmth not normally there, and knew that despite his harsh tone, he cared. However, seeing how close they were, he felt a twinge of jealousy.

_Why am I feeling this?_

_This sour feeling inside of me…_

"Lyn!" Kaede called and ran after Ren and Lyn. Hao slowly followed behind, listening to the conversation. Lyn whipped her head around and started flushing furiously when she say Kaede and Hao. Her hand slipped off from around Ren's neck and she lost her balance, falling backwards. She started waving her hands wildly in a desperate attempt to regain her balance, but to no avail. Ren removed a hand supporting her knee and caught her back before she fell over. "I _told _you to hold on! He turned around and growled, his voice harsh. He turned back to the front and Lyn stuck her tongue out at his back. They then continued walking in a tense silence.

"Are you alright?" Ren finally broke the silence. Lyn nodded her head. "Yea…' "What happened?" Kaede asked concernedly. "She tripped over her own feet and sprained her left ankle." Ren replied, chortling. Lyn scowled and whacked him on the back. "Ouch! What did you do that for!" Ren turned around and glared at her and she grinned, looking at him innocently.

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"Ok…we're back at the inn. Can you put me down now?" Lyn demanded impatiently. "And leave you to climb up the stairs on your own?" Ren said, raising an eyebrow. Kaede smiled as she heard Lyn protesting as Ren carried her up the stairs. She turned around only to see Hao still standing at the entrance of the inn, deep in thought. "Hey…Hao…" He gave a start and looked up at her, a strained smile on his face. "Thanks…for listening…" He smiled again, a smile which made him look as if he wanted to cry at the same time and gave her a half-hearted thumbs up. She cast him one last worried look before she walked up the stairs to her room.

_You looked so heartbroken.  
__And I didn't even know why.  
__All I could do, was watch helplessly._

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Hao sat on a chair at the balcony of the room he shared with Faust, looking at the stars and thinking. Where had that jealousy and dislike for Tao Ren sprung from? Had it been because of Lyn? But why would he feel that, simply over her? What he felt for Lyn…maybe it wasn't as simple as loving her as a younger sister. This was the first time…he had felt this way about_ anyone_. Suddenly, Hao stood up, a determined look on his face. To clear his doubts, he would have to settle things with Tao Ren.

Hao climbed up to the roof where, as he had expected, Ren was sitting and staring at the stars. "What do you feel for Aizawa Lyn?" Hao asked abruptly. Ren looked at him, stunned. "Nothing." He replied after a second's hesitation. "Then why did you carry her all the way back?" "So I should have just left her to walk back _alone_?" Hao nodded opening his mouth as if to ask something else, then closed it and turned and walked away.

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Ren smiled as he heard Hao's footsteps getting softer. He had no idea what it was that made him feel differently for her, but it was _definitely_ not love. He looked back up at the sky and saw a star that seemed to be brighter than the rest.

_They will watch us,  
__And they will guide us.  
__Give us hope,  
__Teach us to believe in love.  
__They, the eyes of the heavens._


	3. Chapter 3: Dark Secrets

**Author's note: Hey thanks for all the reviews! You guys keep me going. I'm glad you found chapter 2 interesting…thanks for fuming for me, _the la-la idiot_! You sure made me laugh. Anyway, lets get on to chapter 3. I hope you will enjoy it, and do check out snow-angel-Anna's story as well.**

**Chapter 3- Dark Secrets**

The rising sun covered the sky with colors of red, orange, gold and purple. It was silent except for the occasional chirping of a bird, a silence broken only by the occasional singing of a songbird. It was dawn, the beginning of a new day. Sunlight shone through the window of an inn, casting its light on the sleeping figure of a slim girl with blonde hair.

Kaede opened her hazel eyes and blinked as they focused, then sat up and took a deep breath, breathing in the fresh morning air. Suddenly, the peaceful silence of the morning was broken by a small shout. Kaede turned and saw Lyn tossing and turning on her bed, as if having a nightmare. "Lyn…" Kaede murmured worriedly. Lyn had still been awake, staring out the window when she had gone to sleep.

"NO! FATHER! MOTHER!" Lyn shouted in anguish as she saw her house in flames in front of her. Then, she saw _Him_ on the burning roof, laughing. "_You_..." She growled, grabbing Heartblade from the ground and jumping onto the roof in one smooth motion. She thrust for _His_ heart, but her expression changed from one of anger to one of horror as _He_ disappeared. Before she knew what had hit her, she felt _His_ sword pierce her from behind. She looked down and saw the end of the sword sticking out from her chest. "I _told_ you not to get in my way…" _He_ said, smirking as her limp body slumped to the ground.

Lyn jerked awake and blinked when she saw light flooding the room. It had only been a nightmare. Lyn sat up and wiped cold sweat from her forehead, then stared at her trembling hands. She could feel her heart pounding so hard her chest hurt. That nightmare might just become a reality if she continued her mission. But no matter the price, she would not give up. _He_ had taken far too many lives, caused far too much pain already. She _had_ to stop _him_…somehow.

"Are you alright?" Lyn gave a start, jerked out of her thoughts by that concerned voice, then realised that it was only Kaede, staring anxiously down at her. "Yea…I'm fine…" Lyn replied, sliding to the edge of the bed and trying to stand up. "Ugh…" She grunted in pain and fell back down onto the bed. She waved Kaede's hand away and stood up again, gritting her teeth.

Kaede stared anxiously at Lyn as she limped to the corner where they had placed their belongings. Archangel appeared next to Lyn in his spirit form, frowning worriedly at her. Lyn bent down and picked up Kaede's projectile weapon and sling bag and handed them to Kaede. She then took the special scabbard for Heartblade and slung it over her back before sheathing Heartblade into its scabbard. Finally, she grabbed the small clip-on pouch with her equipment and belongings and clipped it onto the scabbard. Kaede whistled and White Dragon flew down from the top of the cupboard onto her shoulder, blinking at her with its ruby red eyes.

Lyn limped out the door, but stopped when she saw Ren and Hao leaning on either side of the door, waiting for them. "Are you alright? You shouldn't be carrying so many things." Hao said, straightening. He held out a hand to help her carry her scabbard, but she waved his hand away, then limped towards the stairs. When she limped past Ren, she saw a flash of concern in his eyes. "I'm fine…I don't need to be carried…" She said, grinning.

Ren followed closely behind Lyn as she limped towards the stairs, his every muscle tense, ready to jump and catch her if she fell. His eyes widened in surprise as she hopped onto the banisters and slid down them, then dismounted smoothly on her right leg at the foot of the stairs. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Hao laughing. "She's _really_ different from other girls, isn't she?"

Anna stood outside the inn, tapping her foot impatiently. A hot desert wind blew and she let out and exasperated sigh. "What's taking them so long? If they aren't here _soon_, we're _leaving_ without them!" "_Relax_, Anna. We're here." Yoh looked up and saw Hao walking out of the inn, a wide grin on his face. A second later, Lyn limped out with Kaede at her side, holding a hand out in case Lyn fell. Ren followed behind them, his arms folded. Yoh looked at Ren and realised with some surprise that his eyes were concerned. "_Finally_…now let's get going…" Anna said impatiently.

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Lyn removed her scabbard and put it down in a corner of her room at the En Inn. She then limped over to the study table and sat down. When Yoh and Hao had found out that she was transferring over to the high school in the Funbari prefecture, and that it was within the vicinity of the En Inn, they had invited her to stay with them at the inn, which had now been extended so that it consisted of the main house and the inn.

At the American airport, they had bid goodbye to Choco Love, Lyzerg and the Hanagumi. Lyzerg, Marion, Machi and Kanna were returning to their home countries to continue their studies, while Choco Love was going to New York to pursue his career as a comedian. They had then been picked up by the Tao family's private jet.

When they had landed at Funbari airport, Kaede had called her father and found out that they were transferring her over to the same school as Lyn, then Jun had dropped a bombshell by adding that Ren was going to transfer to that school too. Horo Horo had transferred to the domestic flight bound for Hokkaido with Pillica, and after sending them off, they had all returned to the En Inn for dinner.

Lyn's stomach rumbled, reminding her just how hungry she was. Just then, she heard a knock on the door. She stood up and limped over to the door, sliding it open. She saw Hao standing there, giving her a wide grin, and Kaede, who had already changed out of her jeans and was now wearing a white skirt. "You didn't change? Are you ready for dinner?" Hao asked, raising an eyebrow. "Yea…I'm ready…" Lyn said, leaving her room and sliding the door shut behind her.

Hao watched Lyn from the corner of his eye as she limped towards the stairs. She was already panting slightly from the effort. When they reached the stairs, she made as if to hop down the stairs, but before she could move, Hao scooped her up in his arms bridal style and carried her down the stairs and into the dining room.

"PUT ME _DOWN_!" Yoh looked up in surprise when he heard someone yelling, and he saw Hao walk into the dining room, carrying Lyn in his arms. Hao set Lyn down, then sat down next to her. Lyn glared at him and he smirked. _SMACK!_ Hao stared at Lyn in shock when she whacked his head with her hand, and Yoh began laughing.

Kaede peered at Lyn over the top of the rice bowl. She had felt a twinge of jealousy when Hao had carried Lyn down the stairs, but she had no idea why. His every smile was a gentle tug on her heartstrings, but she could not explain why.

After dinner, they all sat around the table, talking. Yoh and Ren were talking about the finals of the Shaman fight and Faust was discussing the En Inn with Anna while Hao told Kaede and Lyn about the ghosts which had lingered around the inn before Anna had succeeded in chasing them out.

"Tell that old man to give it up and _stop_ sending assassins after me…" As Lyn suddenly recalled what _He _had said, fear passed through her eyes. "Umm…may I use the phone?" Lyn asked, standing up. Yea…sure…it's just down the hall, in front of the toilet. Here. I'll show you…" Hao said, making as if to stand up. "I'll show her…I need to use the toilet anyway…" Ren interrupted, standing up.

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"So as soon as your ankle heals, you'll come back to get your stuff?" Lyn sighed in exasperation. They had been through similar situations several times already, but no matter how she reassured her parents that she could look after herself, they still insisted on treating her like a child. But that was not why she had called them. "Father…stop sending assassins after _Him_. I can handle it on my own. Please. Stop putting your life and mother's life at risk." Lyn begged her father.

Lyn's father protested and they argued for awhile, but she finally convinced him to see things from her perspective. She put the phone receiver down, breathing a sigh of relief, but that sigh of relief turned into a gasp of horror when she saw Ren staring at her, eyes wide with shock.

"How long have you been standing there?" Lyn asked, her voice shaking. "I heard…_everything_. What are you trying to do which is so dangerous?" Ren asked, his eyes flooded with concern. "It's a small family…problem…nothing to be worried about…" Lyn replied, walking away.

Ren stared at Lyn's back as she walked away. Just what was going on? Lyn was involved in something dangerous. He was sure of that. But what? One thing was for sure…he would not let her come to any harm. He didn't understand the tenderness he felt for her, but he would protect her with his life.

_You were there for me  
__You were listening silently  
__You didn't force the answers out_

_So, maybe now…my turn has come  
__To listen to you  
__To comfort you_

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Yoh was nodding off to sleep when Ren came bursting into the dining room. "Ah…Ren…just in time…shall we…" "Jun…you head back to the apartment first. I'm going to be late. Do any of you know where Lyn went?" Ren cut in before Jun could complete her sentence. There was a sense of urgency in his voice which Yoh had never heard before. Hao frowned and stood up. "What happened to her? I'll go talk…" "She said something about going to the park." Anna interrupted and Ren immediately ran out the front door.

"Stop it, Hao. I get the feeling that we should just leave the two of them alone for now." Yoh said when he saw Hao stand up and walk to the front door. Hao scowled but stopped anyway. "I'm heading to my room…" He growled, before walking out of the dining room. "Jun…we should get going too. I'm sure Ren will be able to take care of himself." Jun nodded when Pai Long said this. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Anna." Jun said before walking out the front door with Pai Long.

"Well, we should be going to bed too…" Yoh said as he stood up and stretched. "But…Lyn…" Kaede protested, biting her lip. "She'll be fine. She's strong, isn't she?" Anna said as she stood up and left the dining room. Kaede sat at the table, unsure of what to do. "Don't worry…she'll be fine." Yoh said, flashing her a grin. Kaede slowly nodded her head and walked up to her room."

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Ren ran around the park, looking out for Lyn. Suddenly, a white figure with a glowing aura caught his eye. It was Archangel, looking down worriedly at his mistress. Lyn was sitting on a grassy field, hugging her legs towards her chest, head on her knees. "Lyn…" Ren walked towards Lyn silently. When he was standing beside her, he put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and turned her body away. Ren growled and sat down next to her with a sigh.

"Leave me alone…" Lyn growled, her voice muffled. "No. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for a girl to be out alone at this time of the night?" Ren said, trying to make his voice cheerful. "I can DAMN WELL take care of myself and you BLOODY WELL know it!" Lyn shouted in anger. Ren looked up in shock and saw that Lyn's eyes were red, as if she had been crying. "You were…_crying_?" Ren asked in disbelief.

"So I was crying…what's it to you?" Lyn said coldly as she stood up and started to walk away, but Ren reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back.

"You told me that you believe that if people don't say anything about their problems, it's because they are not ready. I agree with you. But sometimes, people don't say anything because they are afraid that others will not understand or that others will not want to listen. Sometimes, just sometimes, people need a push in the right direction. Whatever it is, I just want you to know that I'm ready to listen, anytime." Ren flushed when he finished his sentence.

_This is so unlike me  
__I never used to say such tender words  
__There's just something about you  
__That makes me want to give you my heart_

Lyn stared at Ren in a stunned silence, then sat back down beside him. "I will not put anyone else at risk…" She mumbled to herself. Ren looked at her, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "I can't tell you what I'm doing…that will only get you involved and put you at risk. This is _MY_ problem, and _MINE _alone, and I will _not_ implicate anyone else." Lyn told him, her voice and face determined. Ren stared at Lyn in silence.

_At that moment, you looked so determined  
__And I saw how strong you were_

_And yet, your eyes were scared  
__And I realised how fragile you were_

_And I vowed never to let any harm come to that strong yet fragile heart._

"Let's look at the stars…" Lyn looked at Ren in surprise. "What!" "Let's look at the stars and see what we can find…" Ren repeated himself, then lay down on the grass.

"See that group of stars over there? That's Taurus. And that group over there? That's Gemini." Ren told Lyn, pointing out the groups of stars. "I _do_ know the constellations…" Lyn told him quietly. They lay there in awkward silence for awhile.

"Sorry. I'm just upset. What is your favourite constellation? Mine is Orion. I think that it looks a little like a hunter." Ren looked at the peaceful smile on Lyn's face, the look of awe in her eyes. "I really like Leo. It looks just like a lion. But right now, my favourite star is the one lying next to me. Sure, it's a little dull now, but I believe that soon, it will begin shining again, brighter than ever." Ren said, grinning when Lyn punched his arm.

Ren looked at Lyn and saw her looking at the stars with a dreamy expression on her face. He turned his head back and looked up towards the sky, deep in thought.

_What is this tender feeling inside of me  
__For you who caused it to be  
__It seems so alien, so foreign in me  
__And yet it fits in perfectly_

"Well, we should be heading back now…come on…I'll escort you back to the inn…" Ren turned Lyn when there was no reply, and saw that she was fast asleep, a small smile on her lips. He smiled and gently scooped Lyn up in his arms and walked out of the park slowly, making sure not to wake her.

"I have never seen master so gentle to anyone, even Miss Jun, before." Bason appeared next to Ren suddenly, and Ren gave a start and slipped, nearly losing his footing. He regained his balance and continued walking, flushing furiously. "Shut up, Bason…"

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Hao felt a twist in his stomach when he saw Ren approaching the inn with Lyn in his arms. He could have been the one to comfort her. He now knew for sure that what he felt for her was not simply the love for a younger sister. The jealousy came too often when Ren managed to make her smile for it to be that. He would win her heart, whatever it took.

_It makes me happy to see you smile  
__It makes me sad to see you down  
__I want to be the one you love  
__The one who gives you reason to smile_

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_He _watched as Lyn was carried back to the inn by a kid with purple spiked hair. So she _had_ warned the old man not to send assassins after him anymore. _He_ had known that she would be a good little girl and see it _his_ way.

No matter the courage with which she declared "I will handle it", she was slowly crumbling inside. She would be broken soon.

First, _he_ would put an end to her peaceful and happy life. And that was only the beginning. The beginning of _hell_ for her. _He _laughed, an evil laugh which sent chills down a person's spine.


	4. Chapter 4: Beginnings

**Hey all! Many thanks for all your support and reviews. snow-angel-anna has already updated, so please do check it out. Thanks! Anyways, here's chapter 4. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 4- Beginnings**

Lyn opened her eyes and blinked in surprise to find herself in her room. She remembered falling asleep in the park under the open sky. Ren must have carried her back to the inn. She turned and looked at the digital clock she had placed on her bedside table and saw that it was only eight in the morning. It was Friday, two days since they had left Patch village. Lyn got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

THUMP. Lyn sat on the floor in a daze, scratching her head. She had been limping back to her room when she had tripped over her injured ankle. "What is all this din so early in the morning for?" Anna demanded, staring down at Lyn. Lyn grinned sheepishly. "I tripped over my injured ankle…"

"Faust? Yoh! Where is Faust? Go get him." Anna shouted impatiently, pounding on Yoh's room door. The door slid open and an extremely sleepy Yoh emerged, yawning and scratching his back. "What?"

"Go get Faust." Anna repeated, her tone sharp. "Eh? But it's so early…Faust will probably still be sleeping and I want to sleep too…" Yoh knew he had made a mistake when he saw Anna staring at him coldly and he turned and ran down the hall. "Sorry! Sorry! I'll go get Faust now!"

"Thank you…" Lyn thanked Anna, still grinning sheepishly. "I don't want you waking me up every morning with all the noise you make tripping over your injured leg. And wipe that annoying smile off your face." Anna said, looking away from Lyn. Faust came striding down the hall, his face concerned. "Miss Anna, what happened?" "Faust. Do something about her ankle, would you?" "Yes Miss Anna."

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"You shouldn't put any pressure on your left leg for about two days as the muscles will still be sore from the minor operation I just gave you. So, you either hop around on one leg, or you can be carried around…" Faust told Lyn, smiling gently. "That shouldn't be a problem. I'll carry her around." Hao said cheerfully, walking into Lyn's room. "I think I'll walk…" Lyn muttered, narrowing her eyes at him.

"No. Can you imagine how much your right leg will hurt from all the effort? So, my lady, where do you want your trusty steed to bring you?" Hao said, chuckling. "I don't want you to bring me _anywhere_, because I can walk _on my own_." Lyn replied coldly.

"Did you ask to go to the roof? Alright then." Hao scooped Lyn up in his arms, ignoring her shouts.

"My lady, we have arrived." Hao set Lyn down, then bowed gallantly. "What did you do that for? I told you I could _bloody well_ walk on my own! I don't want to be here. I'd much rather –MMPH!"

Hao stifled Lyn's complaints by planting his lips on hers. Lyn's eyes bulged and she clenched her fists in anger. WHAM! Before Hao knew what had hit him, Lyn whammed her fist down on his head. Hao hissed in pain but did not break the kiss.

Lyn began pummeling Hao with her fists, but he refused to let go of her. Suddenly, he slumped to the ground with a groan.

"Oh no! What have I done!" Lyn panicked and shook Hao desperately, trying to rouse him. She put her finger at his nose and realised with horror that he wasn't breathing.

"Looks like I have to…" Lyn recoiled in disgust at the thought but took a deep breath to calm herself. "Do I really have to?" Lyn tried to think of another way, but that was the only option that she could see. If she didn't do it, Hao might just die. Lyn took a deep breath, then bent down and started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on him.

Hao smiled and opened his eyes, and had to suppress a surge of laughter. Lyn's eyes were squeezed shut, and her whole body was tense and shivering. This was better than he had expected. All he had wanted was to get Lyn into a panic, but she had gone further and done mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on him. He slipped his arms around her waist and grinned when he heard her squeak.

Hao pulled Lyn's body closer to his and began kissing her, forcing her lips open with his tongue. When he had finally pried her lips open, his tongue darted excitedly around her mouth. He felt her hot breath on his tongue and he smirked. He had won this battle.

Just then, he felt Lyn bite down on his tongue and he hissed, but refused to let go. She bit down a second time, _hard_, and he jerked out of the kiss, feeling his tongue to check if it was still intact.

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Kaede knocked on Lyn's room door, then slid it open when there was no reply. White Dragon flew off her shoulder and around the empty room. It was already nine-thirty in the morning. Had she even returned the previous night? Kaede ran down the stairs worriedly, but stopped when she saw Yoh, Anna, Faust, Jun and Ren sitting calmly around the table.

"Did Lyn come back last night?" Kaede asked, looking at Ren meaningfully as he had been the one who went to look for her the previous night. "She's not in her room?" Ren asked calmly.

"After I performed the minor operation on her ankle, Master Hao carried her off. She didn't seem too happy about it…" Faust said quietly. "Lets just start breakfast without those two. If we wait for them, we might just starve to death." Anna said, taking some food and slowly chewing on it.

Kaede sat down on the vacated side of the table with a sigh, and was reaching for some food when Hao strode into the room carrying Lyn. The two of them were staring daggers at each other. Hao set her down next to Kaede, then sat down next to her.

"I think I taste blood in my mouth." Hao growled, glaring at Lyn. "It's your fault for bloody sticking your tongue in my mouth!" Lyn retorted, sticking her tongue out at him.

Kaede gasped and saw Ren give a start. Hao had put his tongue in Lyn's mouth? Meaning they had kissed? She felt heat rising to her cheeks, and she felt her stomach twist with jealousy.

"Stop arguing about such things over breakfast. It spoils our appetites." Anna cut in their argument coldly. Lyn flushed and began eating silently, glaring at Hao from the corner of her eyes. Hao merely ignored her and ate his food, scowling.

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"Yoh! Stop nodding off like that and clear the table." Anna snapped at Yoh after they had eaten. "I can't help it, Anna…you woke me up so early this morning…" Yoh complained, but got up and began clearing the table with Faust helping him.

Hao stood up and bent down to carry Lyn up again, but Lyn stood up at the exact same moment, which resulted in her head bashing into his chin.

"Shit! I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Lyn gasped, rubbing her head. "I'm fine…" Hao replied, rubbing his chin. Lyn nodded in relief, then hopped after Kaede, who was walking out the front door. Hao stood rooted to the ground, his mouth open but no sound coming out. He had expected her to panic for a longer time, and had planned to sweep her off her feet when she was unprepared.

Hao heard a giggle, followed by a snort. He turned around and saw Jun laughing, her hand covering her mouth. A tiny smile was playing on Ren's lips. Hao also realised with a start that there was an amused look on Anna's face. Hao flushed and walked out the front door.

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"Are you alright? You looked pretty upset during the meal…" Lyn asked, her deep blue eyes flooded with concern. Kaede tried to ignore Lyn, but seeing the concern on Lyn's face, she couldn't help but be honest with her feelings.

"Do you like Hao?" Kaede asked abruptly. Lyn blinked in surprise, then thought for a moment before answering. "I think he's a great guy and all, maybe a little weird, not to mention extremely perverted, but he's a nice friend, and that's all he is to me. A friend, nothing else. Why'd you suddenly ask something like that anyway?" Lyn asked, looking at Kaede questioningly. Kaede shook her head, although she was no longer frowning.

"Then what about Ren? What do you feel for him?" Hao asked, walking out from behind the tree where he had stopped when he had heard Lyn and Kaede talking. Lyn looked up in surprise, then shrugged. "He's only a close friend. That's it." Hao nodded thoughtfully.

_So that means…I still stand a chance._

_And as long as there's a chance, I won't give up._

_I will do everything within my power to win her heart._

_After all, all's fair in love and war._

"Ren, would you go out and call those three in for awhile?" Jun asked, smiling sweetly. Ren gave a start, shaken out of his thoughts. He stood up reluctantly and walked out the front door. He was just about to slide the door shut behind him when he heard some voices speaking.

"He's only a close friend. That's it." Lyn's words echoed in his mind, and he felt as if cold water had been splashed on him. He felt a dull ache in his chest, as if a sharp sword had just pierced his heart, and the pain was only cushioned by his lack of emotion, or rather, his not knowing how he should feel.

_Why do I feel this pain?_

_Even if it's simply a dull ache_

_For however slight it may be,_

_The simple fact remains_

_That it shouldn't even exist._

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"Hey…guys…Jun and the rest want you back in the house. I think they're discussing something about an outing this Sunday…" Lyn, Kaede and Hao looked up, surprised, then nodded and started walking back towards the house. Ren stared at their backs for awhile before walking after them.

"So…we were thinking, since this Sunday is our last day before returning to school, why not have an outing to the theme park, since it's only a two hour train ride away?" Yoh said, grinning from ear to ear. He half expected Ren to explode about how it was a waste of time, and so he was surprised when Ren agreed quite readily. Lyn was nodding her head eagerly, and Hao agreed, laughing at the eager look on Lyn's face. Kaede smiled a small smile and agreed too.

After they had settled the details of the outing on Sunday, Ren grabbed Kwan Dao from the corner of the dining room where he had placed it. "Why'd you bring that along, anyway?" Yoh asked, scratching his head.

"Jun wanted to visit, and I know how long her visits can be, so I decided to bring it along and get some physical training done…" Ren replied gruffly.

"Ooh! You're gonna train with the spear? Can I watch?" Lyn asked, standing up so suddenly that she lost her balance. She fell forward but Ren caught her. "Yea…I guess so…"

Yoh was surprised that Ren even allowed her to watch him train. He usually said people who did that were getting in his way. What made it even more surprising was that Ren had smiled when he had agreed.

Hao frowned a little when he saw Ren walking out with Lyn hopping behind. Ren was walking slowly so Lyn would not have to hop too fast, and from where he was sitting, Hao could see that Ren's muscles were tense and that he was ready to catch Lyn if she tripped.

"I think that Ren and Lyn would make a cute couple…" Yoh commented, grinning widely. "Don't let him hear you say that…" Jun said, laughing. "Lyn doesn't like Ren as anything more than a friend…" Hao interrupted with a growl.

Hao saw Kaede get up and leave the dining room, and he stood up and followed her. He needed to talk to her. Maybe Lyn was dense when it came to this kind of things, but Hao could tell that Kaede liked him. If that was the case, then she would have been hurt when she heard that he had kissed Lyn. To minimize the hurt she would feel, he would need to make a clear stand on his feelings for her.

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Kaede climbed up the roof of the inn, and sat down where she could see Ren training in the garden. "Yo." She whipped her head around when she heard someone call, then turned back when she saw that it was Hao. He probably knew that she liked him already. She flushed when he sat down beside her.

"I'm sorry if this hurts you, but I think I should make a clear stand about my feelings before the situation gets any more complex. I know how you feel towards me, but right now, the only one I have space in my heart for, is Lyn."

Kaede felt tears welling up in her and she desperately forced them down and made herself smile. "I knew that already…it's fine…" She said, making her voice seem cheery. They sat in awkward silence for awhile, and Kaede swallowed, trying to force the lump in her throat down.

"You didn't seem very enthusiastic about the outing to the theme park. Why?" Hao asked, looking at her questioningly. Kaede sat in silence for awhile before speaking. "The theme park…was the last place we went as a family…before my parents divorced. So every time I go to a theme park, I will remember and miss the times we had together."

Hao sat in silent contemplation for awhile. "But it'll be better this time. Because all of us, your friends, are going to be there with you. So I hope you'll just smile and enjoy yourself." Hao paused.

_What am I saying?_

_Those words…_

_Just came out so naturally._

"And also because Lyn will want to see you smile." Hao ended. Kaede bit her lip and nodded sadly. "I think…I'll head back to my room now…" Kaede said, standing up and climbing off the roof. Hao nodded absently and then focused his attention on Ren and Lyn.

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"Crap! I wish my leg was ok so I could spar with you right now!" Lyn cried, bouncing on the rock that she was sitting on by the pond. Just then, she toppled backwards and landed in the pond with a splash.

Ren froze in mid-stance and stared, stunned, at the ripples in the pond. The next second, Lyn emerged from the pond, sputtering, a frog on her head. She stood up and took the frog off her head, throwing it back into the pond, a disgusted look on her face.

Ren stared at the disgusted expression on her face and began chortling. Lyn glared at him, sticking her tongue out at him. "How would you like it if I threw a frog in your face!" Lyn cried indignantly. Upon seeing the indignant expression on her face, Ren's chortle became a laugh.

Suddenly, he felt something slimy hit his face. He stared at Lyn, who was grinning, in shock, then he set Kwan Dao on the ground and jumped into the pond and pulled her down into the water. He then swam to the side of the pond and climbed out.

Lyn emerged a second later, and he held a hand out to pull her out of the pond. She took it, sticking her tongue out at him cheekily. When she was out of the pond, she pinched her nose and shook her head, trying to dry out her hair. Ren stared at her in amusement.

_You're so full of life,_

_Just bouncing around,_

_You're sincere with emotions_

_And I know I can trust you._

Just then, a cold wind blew, and Lyn sneezed. Ren scooped her up in his arms with a sigh and walked back to the house, kicking Kwan Dao up from the floor and catching it.

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"Why are the two of you so wet?" Yoh asked when they entered the house. "We had a little…incident…with the pond." Ren replied, his face serious once again. Anna handed the two of them towels grudgingly, and they dried themselves.

"Well, Ren, let's go…" Jun said when Ren had dried himself. Ren nodded and grabbed Kwan Dao, then walked out the door without even saying goodbye. "Well, we'll see you on Sunday…" Jun sighed, then followed Ren out the door. Yoh looked at Ren who was walking down the garden, then looked towards Lyn, who was hopping back to her room.

What would happen on Sunday?

**Haha hope you liked it. Hopefully, I can post chapter 5 by Friday, even in the midst of my exams. Remember to review! Thanks a lot!**


	5. Chapter 5: Riding with you part 1

**Hey! A big thank you to all the reviewers! Thanks for all the encouragement and such, and I'm glad you like the story so far. I hope you will continue to enjoy it. Oh and snow-angel-anna has already updated her story, miracles, so check it out. This chapter will come in 2 parts…I was in the middle of writing it when I realised, _it's too long_! Oh wells…enjoy chapter 5!**

**Chapter 5- Riding with you (Part 1)**

Kaede awoke to the sound of her alarm. It was seven in the morning on Sunday. The day she had been dreading. Kaede regretted agreeing to the outing to the theme park. The last place she had been to with a whole family was a theme park, and after her parents' divorce, she had never gone to a theme park again, for fear that she would recall the painful memories.

Her parents had quarreled constantly, and Kaede had always been caught in the middle. On several occasions, they had even brought up the subject of divorce, but it had still come as a shock to Kaede when they had actually divorced. She had hoped and prayed so hard that it would not come down to that.

Kaede shook herself out of her thoughts. She would be with her friends this time around, so it would not be so bad…would it?

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After Kaede had freshened up, she changed into a body-hugging shirt with long sleeves and a pair of bellbottom jeans. As she left her room, she grabbed her coat and scarf and threw them on. It was October, and winter was nearing, so it was getting cold.

When Kaede entered the dining room, she saw that everybody was already seated around the dining table, waiting for her. They were all wearing jackets or coats to protect them from the cold, except Lyn, who was wearing a loose-fitting hooded jersey shirt with baggy jeans.

Kaede was worried for a moment before realising that Lyn had placed her jacket on the table. She had thought that Lyn had been moronic enough to forget that she would need a jacket.

"Why did you bring Kwan Dao today? You can't be thinking of training at the theme park, can you?" Yoh asked Ren curiously. "I just felt like it…" Ren replied. "Well, you are not going to bring it along." Anna told Ren coldly. "I wasn't planning to…" Ren growled, standing up and placing Kwan Dao against the wall.

Yoh got up and walked to the door and the rest followed. Just when they reached the door, there was the sound of someone bashing on it. Yoh slid the door open and Horo Horo stomped in.

"What happened? I thought you were back in Hokkaido?" Yoh asked, confused. "My father chased me out of the house…said he wanted me to come to school here and learn to do something with my life. Dude, can I stay here?" Horo Horo asked, grimacing a little.

Yoh looked at Anna, who rolled her eyes and nodded her head with an exasperated sigh. "Well, I'm glad someone finally realised how useless you are…" Ren said, smirking.

Horo Horo glared at Ren, then looked curiously at all of them. "Where are you guys going?" Yoh grinned. "We were heading to the theme park…wanna join us?" Horo Horo's eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly, dashing up the stairs.

"Elephant…" Ren muttered, a disgusted look on his face. Lyn stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. Horo Horo was really making as much noise as an elephant. A moment later, he came stomping down the stairs.

As they were walking out the front door, Ren suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. He then turned and walked back into the house, leaving the rest wondering what he was up to.

When Ren came out of the house, he had Kwan Dao in hand. "I thought I told you not to bring it along?" Anna asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I wasn't planning to, until this stupid Ainu came along, then I figured that it would be…_useful_…" Ren smirked, fingering the weapon's blade suggestively. Horo Horo stared at him, stunned, then took a step back.

"Enough already. Lets _go_." Anna said, walking away from the En Inn. The others followed, leaving Faust to look after the inn with Eliza.

When Faust entered the dining room, he noticed a jacket lying on the table. Lyn had forgotten to take her jacket.

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From where he was sitting with Horo Horo on the train, Ren couldn't help but cast glances at Lyn, who was sitting on the other side of the aisle with Kaede. She was talking to Yoh, who was seated facing her with Anna, and Ren noticed that Hao was staring at them from where he was seated behind them.

"Shit! I left my jacket behind!" Lyn exclaimed, standing up. Kaede stared in astonishment at her outburst, then shook her head in exasperation.

Lyn remained standing for awhile, then shrugged her shoulders and sat back down. "You sure you'll be fine without a jacket?" Kaede asked worriedly. Lyn nodded her head, grinning sheepishly.

Horo Horo gave a start when he noticed a small smile playing on Ren's lips. He had noticed that there was a look in Ren's eyes, a look that had never been there before, whenever he looked at Lyn. That look conveyed many mixed emotions, such as sorrow and joy, but the two emotions it conveyed most strongly were tenderness and…love.

"Is she that special?" Horo Horo asked, looking at Ren. "Shut up, you stupid Ainu…" Ren growled, tilting Kwan Dao towards Horo Horo.

Horo Horo backed away, but continued speaking. "You like her, don't you? So what's so special about her? You don't really trust people easily, and since she walked away from you battle, I would think you have even less reason to trust her…" "Just shut up! I don't like her." Ren growled, brandishing Kwan Dao.

Jun laughed from where she was sitting facing Ren and Horo Horo. Ren might try to deny it, but she had noticed the difference in his behavior when he was with Lyn. "That girl…She's good for Ren, isn't she?" Jun asked Pai Long who nodded thoughtfully. "He does seem happy when he's with her…"

Lyn laughed when she saw Ren waving Kwan Dao at Horo Horo wildly. "Those two…are really close, aren't they?" Yoh nodded, grinning. "It's been like that since we became friends…"

Lyn glanced at Kaede from the corner of her eyes. She had been extremely quiet since they had left the En Inn. This was probably very difficult for her.

Lyn remembered the time she had asked Kaede whether she wanted to go to the theme park. Never would she forget the look that had been in Kaede's eyes. It had been so scared, so sad. At that time, Lyn had wanted to cry for Kaede.

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"So what stupid ride are we going on first?" Ren asked, making his voice seem bored. "Roller Coaster!" Hao, Yoh, Horo Horo and Lyn shouted at the same time. Ren couldn't help but grin a little at the enthusiastic expression on Lyn's face.

Ren immediately straightened his face, hoping that no one had noticed, but Yoh and Horo Horo were looking at him with knowing smiles on their faces, hinting that they had caught that grin.

"I'll sit here and wait for you all…" Jun said, sitting down on a bench near the queue for the Roller Coaster ride. "I'll wait here with you." Anna said, sitting down next to her. Jun looked at her and nodded.

"Ren…give me Kwan Dao would you?" Jun asked Ren with a sigh. Ren reluctantly loosened his grip on Kwan Dao and handed it to Jun.

Lyn grabbed Kaede's wrist and pulled her into the queue, and Yoh and Horo Horo stood to one side, grinning as they let Ren enter the queue before they did. As Ren walked past them, he noticed them exchanging mischievous glances.

"You guys had better not be thinking of trying _anything_ funny…" Ren growled at Yoh and Horo Horo. "Don't worry…we're not_ thinking_ of trying anything funny…" Yoh replied, grinning mischievously.

"That had better be the case, _or else_…" Ren narrowed his eyes at the two of them. "Or else?" Horo Horo asked, raising an eyebrow cheekily. Ren rolled his eyes and walked into the queue. Yoh looked at Horo Horo and grinned.

"We're not _thinking_ of trying anything…we _are_ going to _do_!"

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"I want to sit right in front! Can we? Kaede?" Lyn asked, jumping up and down excitedly when it was their turn to ride on the Roller Coaster. Kaede's eyes widened and she shook her head, biting her lips.

"Alright then…I'll sit with you at the back…" Lyn said, disappointment written all over her face. "Why don't you sit with someone else in front? I'm sure Kaede wouldn't mind…" Yoh suggested, ruffling Lyn's hair.

Lyn perked up a little, looking at Kaede hopefully. Kaede smiled, shaking her head resignedly. "Yea sure…go ahead…" Lyn laughed and clapped her hands with glee, then skipped towards the first car of the Roller Coaster excitedly.

Ren stared at Lyn in amusement as she skipped towards the first car. "Why don't you sit with her?" Horo Horo asked, grinning suggestively. Ren flushed slightly. "Shut up…"

When they were nearing the cars of the Roller Coaster, Ren saw Yoh and Horo Horo exchange glances and grin widely. Before he could react, they pushed him into the first car with Lyn, then clambered into the second car behind them, laughing loudly.

Ren flushed as he sat down next to Lyn. She turned around and stared at him in surprise. "Why is your face so red?" She asked innocently. Behind them, Yoh and Horo Horo roared with laughter. Ren sighed and shook his head. It was better that she didn't realise his feelings for her.

"Morons…" Hao muttered, staring at Yoh and Horo Horo. Kaede stared up at him in surprise. Hao smiled at her, shaking his head. "Never mind…well, we came here to enjoy ourselves, so lets go…" Kaede stared at Hao's back as he walked towards the cars of the Roller Coaster, then ran after him.

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Ren smiled when he saw Lyn laughing at the thrill of the ride. Nothing ever seemed to faze her. His hand twitched towards hers before he could stop himself. As his fingertips brushed past hers, he felt a tingle run down his hand.

Ren snatched his hand away just as she turned to look at him in surprise, flushing furiously and holding his breath. Ren breathed a sigh of relief only when Lyn had turned away.

Kaede bit her lips, grabbing Hao's hand and squeezing it tightly as the Roller Coaster rushed downwards. Hao looked at her in surprise and laughed. "Your fighting style involves jumping down from high places, so shouldn't you be used to this kind of thing?"

Kaede shook her head. "When I'm jumping down, I'm in control of my body, but I can't control this machine, can I? Besides, things are different in a battle…" Kaede bit her lips, expecting Hao to laugh at her, but he simply nodded in understanding.

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After they had gotten off the ride, they walked to where Jun, Anna and Pai Long were waiting. Ren immediately grabbed Kwan Dao and started slashing it at Yoh and Horo Horo.

"That's all the thanks we get!" Horo Horo shouted, laughing. "If you don't shut up, you are so _dead_! Ren shouted, chasing Yoh and Horo Horo even more furiously then ever.

Lyn looked at Kaede, who was standing at one side quietly. Wasn't there anything she could do to make this outing an enjoyable one for Kaede?

Kaede flushed suddenly and looked down at her feet, and when Lyn looked at where her gaze had been a second before, she saw Hao, smiling at Kaede. She didn't understand what was going on, but she just had a feeling…

By this time, Ren had stopped chasing Yoh and Horo Horo, and was standing silently beside Lyn. Lyn grinned and grabbed his hand, pulling him after her. She walked towards Kaede and grabbed her wrist with her free hand, then pulled the two of them after her. "Hey Yoh…lets split into different groups and do what we want, yea?"

Yoh smiled when he saw Lyn pulling Kaede and Ren behind her. If Ren was truly unwilling to be with her, he would have wrenched his hand from Lyn's long ago. No matter how he tried to deny it, he enjoyed being with Lyn.

Hao stared as Lyn pulled Ren and Kaede away from the group. "What is she up to?" Hao muttered under his breath and ran after them.

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Ren growled as he came to another dead end. Lyn had brought Kaede and him to the maze of mirrors, telling them that it would be fun. Well, he wasn't having much fun. He kept ending up at dead ends and having to backtrack.

Everywhere you looked, there were mirrors, and even more mirrors. Where they didn't have mirrors, they had transparent panels to create illusions of people going down other halls in the mirrors.

Ren growled as he approached another dead end. He felt like slashing the panel apart with Kwan Dao. Just then, he heard the sound of running feet behind him, and before he knew what was happening, he felt something crash into him from behind and he stumbled forward. He turned around to shout at whoever it had been, but froze when he saw that it was Lyn.

Lyn was on her bottom, blinking in confusion. "Sorry! I thought you were one of those illusions!" Lyn laughed, jumping up and running forward. "Wait! It's a…"

_WHAM_!

"…dead end…" Ren finished his sentence a second too late. Lyn had run straight into the transparent panel ahead. Lyn shook her head, dazed, then stood up shakily.

"Are you alright?" Ren asked concernedly. Lyn nodded uncertainly. "I think so…I've just had the wind knocked out of me…that's all…"

Ren shook his head and grabbed Lyn's hand, blushing slightly as he did so. "Do you need a babysitter wherever you go? Come on…I'll look after you…" Ren said gruffly. Lyn grinned and nodded gratefully.

"Watch out!"

_CRASH_!

"In front of you!"

_WHAM!_

_You're such a klutz_

_Slamming into everything_

_You get me all worried_

_But you're cute that way_

"Finally…It's amazing how many things you can bang into even with someone leading you…" Ren muttered as the walked out the exit of the maze. Lyn grinned sheepishly, then slipped her hand away from his and walked towards the exit counter.

"Miss…could you do me a favour? When a boy with long brunette hair and huge earrings and a girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes have _both_ exited the maze, could you tell them that Ren and Lyn have gone ahead? Thank you…"

Ren stared at Lyn in shock and she grinned mischievously. "I don't know why, but I just have a feeling this will cheer Kaede up…well, lets go before they come out!" Lyn said, running away from the maze exit. Ren stared at the exit for a second, then ran after her.

**Muahaha! Lyn and Ren left Hao and Kaede alone! Does that mean more room for fluff in part 2? Maybe…who knows? -evil grin- Anyways, please remember to review! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6: Riding with you part 2

**Hey! Sorry for the late update. I had a hectic week of exams, so I was really busy. Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys make my day! Oh and snow-angel-anna has already updated her story too, so go check it out! Anyway, we ended off part 1 with Lyn and Ren leaving Hao and Kaede alone. Well, enough dallying! On with part 2!**

**Chapter 6- Riding with you (Part 2)**

Hao waited impatiently at the exit of the maze of mirrors. What was taking the others so long? Especially Ren. Ren should have been observant enough to have made it out already.

"Hao…"

Hao looked up when he heard someone call his name, and saw Kaede walking towards him. "Where's Lyn and Ren?" Kaede asked, looking around for any sign of them. Hao shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know…Maybe they're still inside?"

"Hey. The two of you. Do you know a Ren and Lyn?" The lady at the exit counter called to them, beckoning them over. "Yes we do. Did anything happen to them?" Hao asked, striding towards the counter.

"The girl asked me to tell the two of you that they have gone ahead. So you two are on your own…" Kaede's eyes widened and she flushed. "Did she mention why?" She asked quietly. "No. I've told you all she told me to."

Kaede turned and looked at Hao helplessly. "So…what do we do now?" Hao considered the options, looking at the sad expression in Kaede's eyes.

"Well, Lyn must have a reason for doing this. I meant it when I said that I…_we_…hope that you'll enjoy yourself. So let's make this a memorable day, even if Lyn isn't here with us."

Kaede stared at Hao in surprise. "Don't you want to find Lyn and join her?" Hao smiled warmly and shook his head. "I may not have known her for long, but I can tell that she's the stubborn sort. Once she sets her heart on something, it's hard to make her change her mind. Am I right?"

Kaede nodded thoughtfully. Now that Hao had mentioned it, Lyn _was_ a stubborn person. "Well…what are we waiting for? Let's go." Hao said, walking away from the maze exit.

"Thank you…" Kaede said as she caught up with Hao, and smiled gratefully. "No problem…" Hao replied, stopping and flashing her a grin. When he began walking again, there was a thoughtful look on his face.

_I used to find her smile beautiful,  
__I still do, but I'm finding yours beautiful too.  
__Just like I want to make her smile,  
__I want to see joy in your eyes, on your face too._

_I don't know what I'm feeling,  
__My understanding of it is zero.  
__So all I can do is hope  
__For the very best end result  
__Where no one winds up getting hurt._

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Ren smiled when he saw Lyn skipping out the exit ahead of him. Lyn had dragged him onto the Viking ship ride. "That was fun, wasn't it?" Ren wiped the smile of his face when he saw Lyn peering at him curiously.

"No. It was boring and I nearly fell asleep on it." Ren growled gruffly. "Yea right! You were just smiling just now! And on the ride too! Why don't you just lighten up for once and admit it when you're enjoying yourself!" Lyn said, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

"Whatever…" Lyn rolled her eyes at Ren's reply and walked past him towards one of the game booths. Just then, a cold wind blew and she sneezed, shivering.

She felt something soft and warm hit her head from behind, and pulled it down only to find that it was Ren's jacket. He was looking away, feigning that he had lent her his jacket simply because he had to, and not because he had wanted to.

Lyn grinned and wore the jacket gratefully. It was still warm from Ren's body heat and the warmth that enveloped her when she wore it was immensely comfortable and satisfying.

"What about you? Don't you need it?" Lyn asked Ren, who was wearing a sleeveless black shirt and jeans. "I am used to this kind of weather, so I won't fall sick." Ren said gruffly, still looking away.

Ren wished that Lyn would just start walking again. There was an uncomfortable crick growing in his neck from looking away at that angle. Then, he felt something warm around his neck, and he flushed when he realised what it was.

Lyn had jumped towards Ren and wrapped her arms around his neck in a quick hug. "Thank you!" She said, laughing as she stepped back, letting her arms drop from his neck. Ren felt his cheeks growing hotter by the second.

_Why am I feeling so embarrassed?_

_Stop it! Stop blushing!_

"Why's your face so red? I think it's redder than a tomato…" Lyn asked, tilting her head at Ren curiously. "Now come on…I wanna play that target game! Maybe I can win that cute little dog beanie!" Lyn continued as she grabbed Ren's hand and pulled him towards the game booth.

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"Thank you…" Kaede said, accepting the warm hot-dog bun and the steaming cup of hot chocolate that Hao handed to her. "No problem…" Hao replied, smiling, as he sat down next to her on the bench. As Kaede stared at the bun and the drink she held in her hands, she remembered the last time she had been to the theme park with her parents.

**Flashback:**

"_Mummy! Daddy and I bought a cup of hot chocolate for you!" Kaede said, walking briskly to the bench where her mother was seated, gingerly holding the cup and checking that its contents did not spill. "Thank you, Kaede…" Kaede's mother, Yuri, said gently as she patted Kaede on the head._

"_Oh! And we saw auntie Arisu on the way back! And then she stopped us and she was telling daddy something about work." Kaede continued as she clambered up on the bench next to Yuri. Yuri frowned at Kaede's father, Daisuke. "Arisu again! She always seems to be there wherever we go…"_

_Daisuke sighed in exasperation. "I've told you before…there's nothing going on between us…" "There had better not be…" Yuri warned, standing up and throwing the untouched cup of hot chocolate into the dustbin._

_Kaede stared at her parents, who were frowning at each other again. She took her father's hand in her left hand, and her mother's hand in her right, and put their hands together. However, when she removed her hands, their hands slipped away from each other._

**End flashback.**

"Kaede..." Kaede was jerked out of her thoughts when she heard Hao calling her name. She looked up at him in surprise and saw him staring at her in concern. "Why aren't you eating? The food and drink taste better warm you know…" Kaede nodded slowly and took a bite from her hot-dog bun.

Hao looked at Kaede in concern as she slowly ate her food and drink. She had seemed very upset when she was deep in thought. There had to be something he could do to cheer her up. He couldn't stand seeing her so upset.

_As I looked at you  
__The sadness in your eyes  
__My heart throbbed  
__With the very same hurt  
__That you were experiencing_

_I had to do something  
__But I didn't know what  
__I looked around for an option  
__And thank the heavens  
__I saw my answer_

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When Kaede had finished eating, Hao took her hand and pulled her towards a game booth. "Where are we going?" Kaede asked as she walked after Hao. "Well, we're gonna play that game and win you a prize. That way, you will have happy memories of the theme park too…"

_Thank you…_

"Why are you so quiet? Don't you believe I can win that game? It's simply bowling bottles down with a coconut…" Hao asked Kaede as she followed him in silence. She shook her head, giving him a small smile. "No. I'm fine. Thank you." She said quietly, her voice grateful.

_That gentle look in your eyes  
__Is enough to cheer me up  
__Even if you do not win the prize  
__Because of that look  
__I can tell how much you care_

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"Sir, you may pick your prize. Is it for the lovely lady here?" The booth attendant asked, glancing from Hao to Kaede. "Well, pick which of the prizes you want…" Hao said, smiling at Kaede gently.

"I'm fine with anything. It's the thought that counts…" Kaede said, shaking her head. Hao gave a small sigh of exasperation then slowly looked through all the prizes. Then, the perfect gift caught his eye and he smiled, pointing it out to the attendant.

Kaede was pleasantly surprised when the attendant handed her a pink teddy bear. "Thank you!" She said to Hao, who grinned. "I guess that means I picked the right one? I can breathe again…" Hao said jokingly, laughter dancing in his eyes.

_To see that small smile on your face  
__The joy leaving a sparkle in your eye  
__That makes my effort fully worth it  
__And for that, I am satisfied_

Kaede glanced at Hao as they walked away from the game booth and found that he was looking at her curiously, tilting his head. Kaede felt her heartbeat quicken and she flushed, staring at her feet in an attempt to ignore his gaze.

_It would have been so much easier  
__For me to have let you go  
__But your kindness and your concern  
__Have made me love you more  
__And now, it's so hard to let go_

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"And it's a bulls eye!" Lyn commentated, laughing as the cork hit the target right at its centre. "That was excellent shooting! I haven't seen anyone else hit every target in the centre. So, which prize do you want?" The attendant asked, smiling at her enthusiasm.

Lyn was about to say that she wanted the dog beanie when something caught her eye. It was a model of a halberd, an exact replica of Ren's very own Kwan Dao. That would be the perfect way to thank him, but she really wanted the dog beanie too. After some deliberation, she made her choice.

Ren was staring into space when he felt someone tap his shoulder. His grip on Kwan Dao tightened and he turned around only to see that it was Lyn. Lyn handed him a model replica of Kwan Dao with a smile.

"What happened to your dog beanie?" Ren asked Lyn in surprise. Lyn shrugged nonchalantly. "I figured that you would like this since you like Kwan Dao so much…" "Thank you…" Ren said, taking the model from her.

_It's better that you don't know  
__The true reason why I've been bringing Kwan Dao around.  
__It's to protect you  
__From whatever danger you might be in  
__For that is all I can do  
__To keep you safe_

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Lyn cast one last longing look at the dog beanie before walking towards the candy floss stand. Ren glanced from her back to the dog for awhile before running after her. "You go ahead and buy your candy…I've got to do something, but I'll catch up with you…" Lyn stared at Ren questioningly, then nodded with a smile.

"Congratulations sir. Your shooting is as sharp as your companion's. Well, pick your prize…" The booth attendant said, a wide smile on his face. Ren quickly picked the dog beanie, thanking the attendant before walking towards the candy floss stand.

As Ren walked towards Lyn, his thoughts were racing. Just as he was about to tap her shoulder, she turned around and beamed at him. "Here! Have a bite!" She said, waving the stick of candy floss in his face. Ren stuffed the dog beanie into his jeans pocket, and cursed himself for doing so. He should have just given it to her. That way, he could prove to himself that what he felt towards her was simply friendship.

"Hey! Let's go to the ferris wheel tonight?" Lyn suggested as she handed Ren the stick of candy floss. Ren took a bite from it before handing it back to her. "Sure." He replied, nodding in agreement.

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"Hey! There's Yoh and the rest!" Lyn said, running towards the queue for the ferris wheel ride where Yoh and the rest were standing. "Hey…Join us?" Yoh asked when he spotted Lyn and Ren. Lyn nodded eagerly and dragged Ren into the queue. "Where's Hao and Kaede?" Horo Horo asked, looking at Ren and Lyn curiously.

"There…" Anna pointed to Hao and Kaede, who were walking towards them. "Lyn…where did you go?" Kaede asked Lyn questioningly. "Sorry…I just had the feeling that to leave the two of you together was a good thing…" Lyn replied, scratching her head and smiling sheepishly.

"Well, its our turn to ride on the ferris wheel. Each car can only hold two people, so…" "I'm sitting with Kaede!" Lyn exclaimed before Yoh could finish his sentence. Yoh and Horo Horo exchanged sly grins, then pushed Ren and Lyn into the first car. Yoh then clasped Anna's hand gently and pulled her into the next car.

"Well…I don't think I want to ride this, so you guys go on ahead." Horo said, walking away from the queue as Jun and Pai Long climbed into the third car. Kaede flushed and stared at Hao. "I guess…it's just the two of us then?" Hao smiled gently at her and tilted his head curiously. "Why do you seem so afraid of me? I'm not going to eat you up…" Kaede looked at him and gasped in surprise when he pulled her onto the fourth car.

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"So what do you think of the theme park now?" Hao asked Kaede, concern on his face. Kaede stared at her hands and bit her lip. "I…I know you did a lot for me today…but…it still holds too much sadness for me…I'm sorry…"

"That's because you haven't learnt to let go." Hao stated matter-of-factly, causing Kaede to look up at him in surprise. "I will help you to move on from your past. I promise…" Hao said, smiling at her encouragingly.

_I will help you  
__Even if I don't know what I feel for you  
__Because I can't stand to see you cry  
__And I want you to have a reason to smile  
__Now and forever._

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Ren looked at the peaceful expression on Lyn's face as she stared out the window of their car. The lights of the theme park were indeed beautiful at night. But he was still going to have to kill Yoh and that stupid Ainu for getting him into this situation, even if it was a good opportunity to have a talk with Lyn.

"What is that dangerous mission that you have undertaken?" Ren asked, staring at the floor awkwardly. When there was no reply, he continued. "Even if you don't wish to tell me what it is, I just want to tell you that I will protect you. I don't know why, but I just want you to know that I wish to keep you safe…here…I got that dog beanie you wanted…it will always be by your side, to lend a listening ear…" Ren finished, flushing slightly by now.

When there was no reply, Ren looked up and found Lyn fast asleep, her mouth slightly open.

_She looks so innocent  
__Her expression is peaceful  
__And I wish to protect that  
__And keep her safe from harm_


	7. Chapter 7: Developments

**Hey! Surprises coming up in this chapter! What? Well, read on and you'll find out yea? And I just want to say a big thank you to all my reviewers. I will keep trying my best to give you an enjoyable read. On with the story!**

**Chapter 7- Developments**

Lyn stirred in her sleep as she heard her watch alarm beeping. Was it time to wake up already? She didn't even remember returning to the inn, let alone falling asleep.

Lyn turned over with a groan and felt something soft and furry against her cheek. She opened her eyes and rubbed them in disbelief at what she saw. It was that dog beanie she had wanted so much the previous day.

She sat up and scratched her head, yawning tiredly. This was probably a dream. How else could the dog beanie have ended up on her bed, and how else could she have returned to the inn without realising it? Even if she had fallen asleep at the theme park, she would have woken up on the train. She was usually a light sleeper unless she was exhausted.

Maybe the fact that she had gotten up at three the previous day had something to do with it. She had woken up from another nightmare of her house burning and her parents dead.

"Lyn! You awake yet? We have to leave soon or we're going to be late for school!" Lyn looked sleepily at the door when she heard Kaede knocking on it. She stretched and stood up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Are you alright?" Kaede asked when Lyn emerged from her room, her hair ruffled. "What are you doing!" Kaede asked in shock when Lyn began poking her in the ribs.

"You're solid…that means you're real? So I'm not dreaming?" Lyn asked in surprise, still poking Kaede in the ribs.

"Of course I'm real! And why would this be a dream?" Kaede asked in astonishment. "Umm…because I don't remember returning to the inn?" Lyn replied, biting her lip sheepishly.

Realisation flooded Kaede's eyes and she giggled silently at Lyn's silliness. "Of course you wouldn't remember! You were asleep through the whole thing! We tried all ways and means to wake you up, and were about to resort to splashing cold water on you, but Ren stopped us and said that he would carry you back…"

Lyn gasped softly. That had probably meant that Ren had been the one who had left the dog beanie on her bed. He acted so tough on the outside, but deep inside, he was a really caring person. Lyn beamed to herself, causing Kaede to look at her in astonishment.

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"Oh my! Look at that cute boy!" "Check out his muscles…they look pretty solid…" "I wonder if he would agree to go out with me?"

Ren ignored the whispers of the swooning girls and walked down the hall, growling at whoever got in his way and casting the devil's glare at a group of girls who pushed one of their number into him. "Those bloody bimbos…" He muttered under his breath.

As he looked around the school for his classroom, he took in all the details of his surroundings. He had been shocked and angry when Jun had first told him that he would be attending school with Yoh and the rest, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad with Lyn around.

He had not really seen the point of joining the school when the term was going to end in a matter of weeks, but Jun had insisted that it would help him to adapt, and also help him feel less out of place as the class he was in now would be the class he was going to be in the next year. She had also added that it would put him less behind in his work.

Too bad Lyn was not going to be in his class. What were the chances of it since she was a year younger than him? Even if she was in his class this year, she would remain in year one the next year, while he advanced to year two with Kaede.

Ren slapped himself mentally and flushed slightly. What was he thinking? He could not have feelings for Lyn. Not feelings in that direction anyway. Heck, he still did not fully understand friendship, let alone love.

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"Ren!"

Ren turned around when he heard someone yell his name, and the next thing he knew, Lyn had embraced him in a bear hug. "Thank you for the dog beanie…" She said, beaming as she let go of him. Ren nodded his head, which was now bright red, in acknowledgement. He could feel everyone's eyes on him, and the cold glares that some of the girls were flashing at Lyn were pretty scary.

"Why are those girls glaring at me?" Lyn asked, her eyes filled with confusion. "Ignore them…they're probably just jealous…" Hao said, walking towards them, Kaede at his side. "Jealous of?" Lyn asked, getting more confused by the second.

Yoh, who was walking towards them, Anna's hand in his, laughed. "They think that Ren's hot, and if I know him well enough, he probably threw their advances off, and then, here comes this girl who comes and hugs him." Horo Horo told Lyn, snickering at Ren. Ren glared at him with a growl and Horo Horo grinned innocently.

"Oops…sorry…" Lyn said, shifting her feet awkwardly. "Don't worry too much about it. They reacted in pretty much the same way when they found out that Anna was my fiancée." Yoh told her, patting her shoulder comfortingly.

"But…it's different…I probably just blew Ren's chance to get a girlfriend!" Lyn cried out guiltily. Yoh and Horo Horo stared at her in astonishment for a few seconds, then burst out laughing.

"And you think Ren needs a girlfriend?" Yoh finally managed to stop laughing and speak. Ren's face was flaming red by now, and the astonished expression on his face was just so comical.

"Well, yea…that way, he will be able to care for someone, and in caring for another person, he will find he doesn't need to put on that tough exterior anymore!" Yoh and Horo Horo began laughing once more.

Lyn stared in confusion at Yoh and Horo Horo, and then saw that Hao was grinning too. Even Anna had a small smile on her lips. Just what had been so funny about what she said? She looked at Kaede questioningly, but Kaede was giggling along with the rest.

Ren felt as if his whole face was on fire. Well, that was the bad part of Lyn not knowing his feelings for her. He didn't blame her for it. She was ignorant of his feelings, and it would remain so until he himself was sure of it. But did Yoh and the rest have to make it worse?

_At that time, my heart was pounding_

_So hard I was sure it was going to burst out my chest_

_My feelings confused even me_

_But to hear you say that you wanted me to care for another_

_I felt my heart break_

"Whatever…anyway, which class are you all in?" Lyn asked, sighing in exasperation. "We all are in the same class…2-B…" Yoh said, speaking for Anna, Hao, Horo Horo and himself. "I'm in class 1-A…" Kaede said, her face straight.

"I'm in class 1-A too…" Ren and Lyn added at the same time. Lyn looked at Ren and grinned. Ren felt elation rising within him, but kept his face straight. However, his eyes betrayed his excitement without his realisation.

Just then, the bell rang and they said their goodbyes. "I'm sure that these three years in high school are going to be _fun_ for you…" Horo Horo whispered, scampering away before Ren could hit him. "I should have brought my Kwan Dao…" Ren growled.

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"Class, today, we have three new students joining us." Their form teacher, Inoue Hiroshi pushed Ren forward. Lyn grinned at the dreamy expressions of the female students who were staring at Ren, giving him their full attention.

Ren stood in front of the class, looking around nervously, not knowing what was expected of him. "Introduce yourself to the class…" Ren stared at Hiroshi in a stunned silence, then began speaking.

"I am Tao Ren, from the Tao family in China." Ren finished and looked at Hiroshi. Hiroshi sighed and smiled, nodding and telling Ren to stand at the side.

Lyn overheard some of the girls swooning over Ren, saying that his voice was sexy, and had to stifle a peal of laughter. She quickly calmed herself down as Hiroshi nudged Kaede forward, and looked proudly at her friend.

Kaede was the very picture of calmness as she stepped forward, and that added to her beauty. A silence fell over the class, and some of the male students gasped at her beauty, whilst the female students stared at her in awe.

"I am Katsumoto Kaede, and it's really nice to meet you all…" Kaede said, smiling as she looked around the class. After she had finished speaking, Kaede stepped backwards and gave Lyn an encouraging smile.

Lyn gulped and felt a lump forming in her throat. She was never good at speaking in front of a large group of strangers, which was ironic considering how outgoing she usually was. Kaede was the exact opposite, usually quiet and shy, but charismatic and eloquent once she was speaking in front of others.

"Hi…I'm Aizawa Lyn, and I hope that the next few weeks we spend together will be filled with fun and laughter! Let's get to know each other better!" Lyn scampered back to where Kaede and Ren were standing as soon as she finished.

"Oh and one thing. Lyn is one year younger than all of you, so make sure you take good care of her!" Hiroshi added, ruffling Lyn's head. Lyn grinned and bowed to the class.

As the three of them walked to the three empty seats near the back at the left of the class, they felt the eyes of their new classmates on them. "I'm taking the window seat right at the back!" Lyn cried and quickly ran to her chosen seat. Kaede stood at the seat to the right of Lyn's and looked at Ren questioningly. Ren shook his head and flashed her a grateful smile, taking the seat in front of Lyn's.

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Ren was listening to the science teacher's explanation on the concept of light when he felt something hit his tongari from behind. He ignored it, thinking that it was the wind, and continued listening to the teacher and taking down notes.

Ren felt something hit his tongari again, followed by another. He whipped his head behind and saw Lyn preparing to throw another eraser bit at him.

When Lyn saw Ren staring at her, she grinned at him before narrowing her eyes. "Argh…your stupid tongari is blocking my view of the board." Ren stared at her in surprise for awhile, then shook his head. "I'm sorry…Do you want to switch? You are shorter than me after all…"

Lyn glared at Ren when she heard him call her short, but shook her head. "Nah…it's fine…just keep your head down…" She replied, sticking her tongue out at him cheekily.

"Whatever…" Ren growled, turning back to the front, although he did lower his head and tilt in towards the window. Lyn was definitely weird. She had just been asleep during the previous lesson, which had been math.

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As Hao was walking back to the En Inn from school, he noticed a small boy who seemed to be struggling in a river. Hao stared at the boy for awhile, then realised that he was drowning. Hao quickly threw his bag down on the ground and ran towards the pond, but someone streaked past him and dived into the river.

Hao stared at the water next to the boy for awhile, wondering who had gone to save the boy. After a few seconds, a sputtering head emerged and Hao realised that it was Kaede. After watching her for a second, Hao realised that she too was drowning.

Hao dashed towards the river and dived in, emerging next to the boy and Kaede. "Save the boy first!" Kaede gasped, before disappearing into the water again. Hao put an arm around the boy's waist and swam towards the river bank with powerful strokes. He placed the boy on the river bank before swimming back towards Kaede.

_Please let me get there in time_

_If I don't, I don't know what I would do_

_I promised to help her move on_

_And I have yet to hold true to my word_

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Hao gasped as he lifted Kaede up on dry land. The moment Kaede was out of the water, she scrambled towards the small boy and checked if he was alright. "I'm fine. Thank you, sister. Thank you too brother…" The boy said gratefully before running off to a house in the distance.

"You moron…you could have killed yourself like that…jumping in when you can't swim!" Hao growled harshly. He regretted it almost immediately when he saw tears welling up in Kaede's eyes, and he softened his tone.

"Why'd you go and do something so risky? Think about how upset I…no…_we_ all will be if you had drowned?" Kaede stared at the concerned look on Hao's face and bit her lip. "I'm sorry…it's just that…whenever I see a child in danger, the only thing that seems to exist is that child, and I just have to help him or her." By this time, tears were slowly trickling down her cheek.

Hao stared at Kaede in surprise as she began crying. He felt a dull ache in his heart and he reached for her face and wiped her tears away tenderly with his second finger. She looked up at him, and began crying even more.

Hao pulled Kaede to his chest and caressed her hair, comforting her. "I…will teach you…to swim, ok? So stop crying…" Hao was surprised at how tender his voice sounded.

_Don't cry anymore  
I wi__ll always protect you  
__Don't cry anymore  
__I will keep you safe from harm_

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"Why are you two so wet?" Lyn asked worriedly as Hao and Kaede walked into the dining room. "It was…nothing…" Kaede replied quietly, going up to her room to change out of her wet clothes.

Lyn looked at Hao questioningly, and he shrugged. If she had chosen not to tell Lyn, then who was he to announce it just like that?

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Yoh got up and answered the door, and gave a small shout of surprise to see his father at the door. "What's up?" Yoh asked worriedly.

"Nothing bad." Mikihisa replied, striding into the dining room and nodding at Anna, who nodded in acknowledgement. "Hao…we thought that it was about time we picked you a fiancée too, so your grandmother and your mother picked one they thought to be suitable. Here's her address. Go find her this weekend." Mikihasa handed Hao a slip of paper, then strode out the door.

"Who was that?" Lyn asked Ren, who was sitting next to her, under her breath. "That was Asakura Mikihisa, Yoh and Hao's father…" Ren replied, flashing her a smile. "Why does he wear a mask?" Lyn asked, a little louder this time. Hao overheard her and Ren looked at him in concern.

"When I was first born, I burnt my father's face badly when the Spirit of Fire came to take me away." Hao replied quietly, his face grim. Lyn nodded thoughtfully, but didn't ask any other questions, simply giving Hao a encouraging smile.

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"Umm…this weekend, I need to fly over to Kyoto to get some of my stuff from my parents…so I'll be gone for the weekend…" Lyn told the rest at the end of dinner. Ren, who had been invited to stay for dinner, looked at her in surprise. "Are you going alone?"

Lyn nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "I won't allow that…that's too dangerous…I'll go with you…we'll fly by one of the Tao family's private jets." Ren told Lyn in a no-nonsense voice. Lyn stared at him defiantly for awhile, then nodded.

"Well, can I go with you guys then?" Kaede spoke up suddenly. "I want to check on how Father's doing…" She added. Lyn turned to Ren, who agreed with a small smile. "I'm going too…" Hao added, causing Ren to stare at him in surprise. "The fiancée arranged for me stays in the Kyoto region too, and I have no choice but to listen to my parents wishes, right? After all I've done to them, it's the least I can do to make them happy."

"Alright then…can I use the phone? I'll call my father and arrange accommodation at my house for us…" Kaede said, standing up. "Is it really ok?" Hao asked with concern. "Yea…my house is so big and there are so many empty rooms anyway. It'll be good to actually have people living in it from time to time." Kaede replied bitterly before turning and walking out the dining room and to the phone.

"What about you? Aren't you going to call your parents? To tell them you're going home?" Ren asked Lyn curiously. Lyn shook her head with a mischievous grin. "I want to give them a surprise!" She said chirpily.

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"Well, this is it…our home for the next two days…" Kaede said as she led Lyn, Hao and Ren down the path of her house. "This place hasn't changed a bit!" Lyn said as she looked at the wide expanse of gardens with fountains. "The architecture of this place is interesting…" Ren added in approval.

Lyn wondered why it seemed exceptionally quiet, and she turned around to find Hao missing. She looked around for him and found him still standing at the front gate. She ran towards him and saw him gaping at the sign on the gate, his mouth open.

"Hey…What's up?" Lyn asked, looking at Hao curiously. Hao gave a start, then lifted up the slip of paper with his fiancée's address written on it.

"The address on the paper…is the same as the address on the sign…"

_I never expected the fiancée my parents arranged_

_To be you_

_I am not even sure of my feelings for you,_

_So how can I agree to this marriage!_

**Ahh! Sorry for the long chapter. Like snow-angel-anna, the next chapter is the long awaited one. For the two of us anyway. Haha well, you'll have to wait till next Tuesday to see it…(I'm brain dead now…)**


	8. Chapter 8: Darkening Clouds

**Hey. Well, the long awaited chapter! Haha what's going to happen? Read on and you'll find out. But it won't happen so soon. SUSPENSE…hee. Anyway, where have my reviewers gone? –sobs- anyways, lets just get on with this chapter! Enjoy! Oh and snow-angel-anna has already updated, so check it out yea!**

**Chapter 8- Darkening clouds**

"So…that means that Kaede is the fiancée your parents arranged for you?" Lyn asked after a stunned silence. Hao nodded soundlessly, a thousand thoughts racing through his head.

"Hey! That's cool!" Lyn laughed and slapped Hao on the back. Hao looked at Lyn in surprise and she grinned. "Kaede's a really kind person, even if she is quiet. You're a really lucky guy to have her as your fiancée. Many guys are going to be _so_ jealous you know?" Lyn laughed merrily as she finished.

"Umm…do you mind not telling Kaede about this?" Lyn blinked in surprise at Hao's request. "Why not?" She asked, looking at him curiously.

"Because…I'm not sure of my feelings for her…and if I choose her, I don't want her to think that it is because it was arranged. If I choose her, I want it to be because I truly love her with my whole heart." Hao said, trying his best to express his feelings with words and failing miserably.

Lyn stared at Hao for awhile, scratching her head with uncertainty. After a second's consideration, she smiled and gave her word not to tell Kaede about the arrangement.

"Well, let's join Ren and Kaede before they start worrying where we have disappeared to…" Lyn said with a grin before running towards Ren and Kaede. Hao glanced from the paper to the sign one last time before running after her.

_The future remains unknown to us  
__Uncertainty plagues us  
__But this is where life has led us  
__And we shall face our destiny  
__Bravely, even through the fear in our hearts_

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As Ren walked down the path slowly, he observed the details of his surroundings, keeping a firm hold on Kwan Dao. The gardens were well tended to, and yet there was not a single gardener in sight. The fountains in the garden were placed to give visitors a welcome feeling, so although the path from the front gate to the main doors was long, it was a relaxed walk.

Kaede's house was built in the style of a western manor, and it was indeed big. His Chinese mansion was bigger, but also far more menacing. This place just seemed to give you peace of mind, so why did Kaede look so bitter to be back?

"Are you alright?" Ren asked, lengthening his strides until he was walking alongside Kaede. Kaede looked up at him in surprise and smiled bitterly. "I must look really out of it. You, of all people are asking me if I'm alright…am I really that easy to read?"

Ren shrugged and walked in silence for awhile before speaking. "It's just that…you don't really seem happy to be back…" Kaede shook her head sadly. "This place holds many painful memories for me…it's not that I'm not happy to be back or anything…it's just that I associate this place with sadness more than joy…"

Ren looked at Kaede for a second before nodding thoughtfully. He understood what Kaede was saying, at least part of it. He had felt that same way about his home before he had overcome his hatred for his father. In the same way, Kaede had to overcome the pain of her past and learn to let go.

That task was not his, however. He had noticed Kaede's behaviour around Hao, and had come to the conclusion that she liked him quite long ago. And although Hao may not have realised it, he too was showing signs of affection towards Kaede.

Just then, Hao and Lyn came walking up to join them. Ren slowed his pace and fell behind with Lyn. Hao walked to Kaede's side and patted her on the shoulder, and Kaede gave him a weak smile.

"I will remain true to my word. I will help you to move on from your past." Hao told Kaede with a determined glint in his eye.

Kaede looked at Hao in surprise and then looked down at her feet awkwardly. "Thank you…" She said, not knowing what else she could say.

Kaede glanced back at Lyn and Ren, and saw a grin on Ren's face. She turned back with a small smile on her face. She agreed with Yoh when he said that those two made a cute couple. Hao probably disagreed since he like Lyn, and it probably hurt him that Lyn was closer to Ren than to him.

The most ironic thing in the whole love triangle had to be that Lyn didn't have feelings for either of them in the way they wished. To make it worse, she was not even aware of how they felt towards her. Lyn was far too ignorant when it came to love.

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Ren looked at Lyn and saw her taking in the details of her surroundings, smiling happily. He grinned for a split second before straightening his face. She must be relieved to be back.

Although Lyn's actions were mostly unpredictable, some of them were predictable enough once you got to know her. And knowing Lyn, she would never be fully relaxed unless she had confirmed for herself that her parents were truly alive and well.

Lyn looked around the gardens, remembering when she had first visited Kaede's house. She had been amazed at the beauty of the gardens and at the size of the manor. But Kaede was right in saying that the house was too big and empty too often. Lyn still preferred her cozy house where she had grown up in.

Lyn was happy and excited to be back, as that meant that she would be able to see her parents soon. After all, she had not seen them since the second preliminaries, when she had gone with Kaede to find Patch Village, and that had been around five months ago.

_To be able to see you soon  
__To hear your voices once again  
__That fills me with so much joy  
__And my heart soars with the thought_

_I can finally make sure  
__That the two of you are safe and sound  
__And I can see your smiles  
__The smiles which give me joy_

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When they reached the main doors, Kaede raised the knocker and slammed it down on the door. A resounding knock could be heard inside the manor. A few minutes later, the door was opened a little and a round faced man with an amicable expression peeked out. The man seemed to be around thirty-something, and he had wrinkles on his face.

It took a second before the butler realised who he was looking at, and when he did, a smile cracked his lips and his face lit up. "Miss Kaede! You are back! You look more beautiful than ever."

"Thank you, Katashi…and don't address me so formally. Kaede will do." Kaede said with a smile before turning and gesturing towards Hao, Ren and Lyn. "This is Lyn, I believe you've met her before…"

"Ah yes! The friendly girl who always made Miss Kaede and the maids laugh…You look as bright as ever, Little miss…" Katashi said with a smile and shook Lyn's hand. Lyn laughed and thanked him politely.

"And this guy is Asakura Hao and the other is Tao Ren." Kaede continued, gesturing at Hao and Ren respectively. Katashi's eyes narrowed for awhile and he cast a suspicious glance at Kwan Dao before he looked at Kaede questioningly. "Oh don't worry, Katashi…Hao isn't evil anymore…and Ren's not planning to use Kwan Dao…" Kaede told Katashi, understanding his worries immediately.

"Well, guys, this is Katashi…He's more a father to me than a butler…he's looked after me whenever my father was not around…" Kaede said, smiling, a mixture of joy and sadness in her eyes.

"Well, Miss Kaede, if you and your friends would follow me, I will lead you to the rooms that have been prepared for you. The Master wishes for you and your friends to dine with him as soon as you have settled down." Katashi said, gesturing for them to follow him. "Father's home!" Kaede exclaimed excitedly before continuing. "And I told you…no need for such formality…just call me Kaede…" Kaede finished with a sigh, following Katashi and tilting her head to tell the rest to follow.

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"Lyn…thank you for looking after Kaede all this while." Daisuke said after they had eaten lunch. "Nah…I think Kaede was the one looking after me…" Lyn said, shaking her head and laughing.

"Well, Uncle Daisuke, would it be alright if I took my leave for now? I want to go and see my parents…" Lyn asked, standing up.

"I'm sure you must be eager to see them too, so go ahead…" Daisuke said, smiling at Lyn gently. Lyn nodded eagerly and was about to walk out of the living room where they were seated when Ren stood up suddenly.

"Sir, would it be alright if I escorted her?" Ren asked politely. Daisuke nodded and gave Ren a knowing smile which caused him to flush. He thanked Daisuke for lunch and walked after Lyn, his cheeks heated. On his way out of the living room door, he grabbed Kwan Dao which he had left leaning against the wall by the door. He wasn't sure of his feelings himself, and yet everyone else seemed to know more than he did about how he was feeling.

_I guess I should step out of self-denial  
__And just admit my feelings for you  
__But my feelings confuse me so  
__And make my uncertainty grow_

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"Well, Kaede, I have something important to tell you. Recently, a family of reputable Shamans have asked for you to be wed to their son, who is a year older than you…I thought that it would be a suitable arrangement as that would mean you can live a comfortable life, so I agreed." Daisuke told Kaede cautiously.

Hao groaned softly when he heard Daisuke tell Kaede about the engagement. He should have guessed that Daisuke would inform Kaede about something so important concerning her. Well, he would just have to make sure that if he agreed to the marriage, it would be because he truly cared for her.

"You actually decided something so important without me?" Kaede asked Daisuke sadly. "Well, I guess it's alright because I've given up on the one I care for…" Daisuke looked at Kaede, sorrow flooding his eyes. "I'm sorry…all I wanted was to give you a better life…I know I have not been a good father, and I just wanted to make up for that…"

"If you had really wanted to make that up to me, then you could just have spent more time with me. All these years, that has been the only thing I wanted from you…" Kaede told Daisuke, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry…I didn't know…" Daisuke said, walking towards Kaede and embracing her. Kaede hugged Daisuke in return, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. As Hao watched the scene, he felt a surge of emotion within him. If only he had the courage to have such a heart-to-heart talk with his parents. He owed them that much.

"Anyway, the fiancée that has been arranged for you is Asakura Hao…I've heard that he's no longer evil, so you don't need to be afraid of him…" Daisuke said as he sat back down across Kaede. Kaede looked at him in shock, then looked at Hao. Hao shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't want to tell you so soon but looks like your father told you anyway…"

_I want to give her joy  
__And yet I want the same for you  
__I'm waiting for the right time  
__So that my selfishness does not hurt you two_

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"Daddy, Mummy! I'm so glad to see you again! I missed both of you so much!" Lyn cried, launching herself into her parents arms the second they opened the door. "I'm so glad you're safe!" Lyn's mother said, tears slowly trickling down her cheeks. "I'm glad to see you too, kiddo…" Lyn's father said, ruffling her short brunette hair fondly.

As Ren watched the scene, he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. He was glad that Lyn's parents were safe and that the three of them were able to have such a touching and happy family reunion. However, no matter how he looked, there seemed to be something wrong with that scene. Something seemed to be missing.

"Well, who's that friend who came with you there? Your boyfriend? Somebody is actually interested in my tomboy daughter?" Lyn's father joked, causing Ren to flush slightly. He was about to retort that he did not like Lyn, but Lyn answered her father before he could open his mouth.

"Daddy, Mummy, I would like you to meet Tao Ren…he's been a really good friend, and he's looked after me like Kaede did…" "Is that so? Well, I would like to thank you for looking after my daughter…she's a lot to handle…her father spoilt her too much…" Kaede's mother said, smiling gently at Ren, and making Ren feel awkward.

"Oh…so he's only a friend…" Lyn's father said, sounding disappointed. Lyn turned to Ren and rolled her eyes, shrugging her shoulders sarcastically. "Well, anyway, this is my mother, Tsukiko, and that old man over there is my father, Kenshin."

"It's nice to meet you, Ren…" Tsukiko said gently. "Nice to meet ya, kid…" Kenshin said, giving Ren a friendly slap on the back. "I'm not a kid…" Ren muttered, but smiled anyway. "Well, come in…you are just in time for tea…" Tsukiko said, inviting Ren into the house while Lyn ran straight in.

_Your family was so friendly  
__Your mother so gentle while your father was like a brother  
__Seeing you so happy and at home  
__I felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders_

_And yet, there seemed to be something missing  
__Just what I couldn't tell  
__It just seemed to spoil the picture  
__Of your happy family_

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"Well, thank you for coming…you had better get back to Kaede's house soon…it looks like a storm is coming soon…Take care ok, Lyn? And I hope to see you again, Ren…" Tsukiko said, handing Lyn the backpack in which she had packed Lyn's belongings. "Tao Ren…hey! Does that mean that you are one of the two Shaman Kings!"

Lyn rolled her eyes and sighed apologetically. "Sorry about that…my father kinda suffers from a slow reaction time…" "Well, I see where you got that from now…" Ren said, smirking. Lyn huffed indignantly, but a small grin was on her lips and there was a sparkle in her eye.

"Well, kiddos, see you soon…" Kenshin said fondly, ruffling Lyn's short brunette hair and poking Ren's tongari. Ren glared at Kenshin, but Kenshin pretended not to see the glare. "Bye Daddy…Bye Mummy…" Lyn said, hugging and kissing each of them on the cheek in turn.

"Oh shit!" Lyn swore as they were walking down the long path to Kaede's house. "What is it?" Ren asked concernedly. "I think my mother forgot to pack my diary and my extra sword equipment…" Lyn said, looking at Ren pleadingly. "Alright…we'll go back to get them…"

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Lyn dropped her backpack to the ground and stared at the scene ahead of her in horror. Her house was being engulfed by roaring flames, and from where she was standing, she could see her parents' bodies. A large pool of blood was forming under those two bodies. Lyn felt tears welling up inside her, but held them in.

Lyn looked around for the person who was responsible for all this, and saw_ him_ on the burning roof of her house. The flames licked _him_, but left _him_ unscathed.

A cold wind blew and _his_ brunette hair was ruffled by the wind, and _his_ black and red cloak billowed behind _him_. _His_ deep blue eyes glittered with a cold harsher than ten of the coldest winters thrown together.

Lyn growled in rage and prepared for battle. The cold wind blew her hair into her eyes, but she ignored it, her deep blue eyes glinting with anger and hatred.

"Archangel, oversoul!" Lyn used the light from the sun as a medium and Archangel created a sword oversoul. The sword shared the same physical appearance as Heartblade, aside from the fact that it was made of a soft golden light.

Lyn jumped up onto the roof and slashed at _him_, but he disappeared and her attack missed, causing her to stumble forward. He teleported behind her and she whirled around, striking at him in a blind rage.

Ren watched in horror as he saw Lyn engage a strange man. Or rather, a strange boy. _He_ looked only slightly older than Yoh. Then, Ren noticed something. Which each strike which Lyn delivered, the golden light of her oversoul was growing harsher. Lyn was fighting with anger and hatred, and that would weaken her attacks.

Four years or so ago, when he had been fighting Hao, he had fought with anger as he thought that Hao had killed Yoh. He had ignored Silva and Karim's repeated warnings and had persisted in fighting with anger. The result had been his defeat by Hao. The same result had met Lyzerg and the rest, who had also fought because of their rage.

If fighting with rage and hatred weakened them thus, Lyn would be affected by it even more drastically. Her spirit was one of light, and her power came from love, kindness and a caring heart. If she continued fighting this way, she would only weaken herself for the enemy.

"Lyn! Stop it! Don't fight with hatred and anger! It will only weaken you! It is not the way!" Ren's words fell on deaf ears as Lyn continued her onslaught on _him_. She saw that her attacks were not even leaving any scratches on _him_, and in desperation, she thrust for _his _heart.

"Can you really bear to kill _me_?" He asked, a smirk on his face. Lyn stopped her oversoul before it reached _his_ heart when she heard this, and released her oversoul. _He_ was right. She could not bear to kill _him_.

_Definitely not him._

_Against him, I am unable to raise a finger._

_His_ smirk widened when _he_ saw Lyn freeze and release her oversoul. _He_ had known that it would work, that _his_ words would affect her. _He_ drew his sword from under _his_ cloak and raised it above _his_ head, bringing it down in a powerful downward slash. To _his_ surprise, _his_ attack was blocked. _He_ stared at Lyn's protector and growled in frustration. _He_ had missed his chance to end her life because of him.

"Looks like someone has gotten herself a loyal lapdog…" Lyn shook herself out of her thoughts and looked up at_ him_. "He is _not_ a dog…he is my comrade…my _FRIEND_!" Lyn shouted in anger at _him_. _He _smiled an evil smile which sent chills down even Ren's spine and disappeared. "Now is not the time…" _His _voice echoed even after _he_ was gone.

Ren gently scooped Lyn up in his arms bridal style and jumped off the roof lightly. Just as he set her down, there was a flash of lightning and rain started pouring down, putting out the fire.

Lyn watched as the blood from her parents' corpses mixed with the rain and flowed away, and the tears she had held back came pouring out, rolling down her cheeks and mingling with raindrops. Then, she raised her head and screamed in anguish.

**Yikes! Long chapter. Oh wells…it was worth it…or not...what do you think?**


	9. Chapter 9: Tears

**Hey. Chapter 9 is up. Oh man I like the italics in this chapter A LOT. Especially the poems. Hehe I worked hard to at least make them sound nice, even if they don't rhyme…so I hope you enjoy them as much as I did thinking of them. Haha thanks to all the reviewers! Love you guys! Its so sad that Lyn's parents died…but I kinda planned that from the start. Haha. Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter 9!**

**Chapter 9- Tears**

Lyn screamed in anguish and tears flooded down her face as she sank to her knees. Her heart was racked with grief. She could not believe the fact that her parents were dead. Murdered. By _him_ no less.

Ren clenched his fists in anger as he watched the heart wrenching scene before him. Lyn's parents had been murdered. And he had been unable to _DO. A. THING_.

Tears of rage rose in surges within him, and for a few seconds, he fought a battle with himself to keep his emotions under control.

Ren felt a wrench at his heart when Lyn suddenly stood up, ran to a nearby tree and began punching it repeatedly with her right hand, clutching at the tree trunk with her left hand.

"Damn it! DAMN IT!" Lyn shouted with every punch that landed on the tree, emphasizing every syllable. She was no longer crying, but her face was twisted with anguish. Soon, her knuckles were bleeding profusely.

Ren couldn't bear to see Lyn torture herself in that way, so he dashed towards her and grabbed her hands.

"Stop it! Stop doing such _stupid_ things to hurt yourself!" Ren growled angrily, regretting his tone almost immediately. It wasn't so much that he was angry with Lyn. The anger was directed more at himself, and the fact that he was unable to do anything to ease her anguish. Ren wasn't used to feeling helpless.

Ren felt a sharp pain in his chest when Lyn turned and glared at him. Her eyes were filled with anger, hatred, frustration and sorrow, and her glare was so enraged.

Lyn ripped her hands out of Ren's grip and slammed her right hand on the tree one last time before sinking to her knees, dragging her fist down along the tree trunk. There she knelt, sobbing silently.

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Ren knelt down beside Lyn and put his hands on her shoulders. He turned her body so she faced him and then pulled her to his chest, stroking her hair tenderly.

As Ren stroked her hair, Lyn cried even harder than ever into his chest. She had not been able to avenge her parents, all because she could not bring herself to kill _him_.

Ren continued stroking Lyn's hair, murmuring comforting words to her as he let her cry her heart out into his chest.

_It broke my heart to see you so,  
__Your tears free flowing, your eyes so cold.  
__It was as if your very soul,  
__Was shattered and broken, because of that foe._

_All I could do, as you cried your heart out,  
__Was stand there and watch you helplessly.  
__I could have killed myself, for all my esteem,  
__Was but for naught in that heartwrenching scene._

_I took a step forward, and held you in my arms,  
__And to my surprise, it felt like we were one.  
__It felt so right to have you there,  
__So I held you tight, and gave you my care._

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As Ren held Lyn close to him, the last traces of uncertainty and self-denial in him faded away. He had fallen for her, and fallen hard at that. Whether he liked it or not, nothing could change that fact.

Lyn cried, her face buried in Ren's chest. His strong arms around her were silently warm and comforting and made her feel safe. Too safe.

Lyn pushed Ren away from her suddenly and stood up, forcing her tears down and wiping her tear-streaked face. Ren looked at her in shock and she turned her back to him. The light of the setting sun reflected off her deep blue eyes, showing that her eyes were trembling.

_I felt so warm when you held me close,  
__Safe from my head, down to my toes.  
__I liked that feeling because for once in my life,  
__I was protected and felt safe from harm._

_As that warm feeling intensified,  
__As sudden fear attacked my heart.  
__To depend on you, would bring you harm,  
__So I pushed you away, though it hurt me much._

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Lyn struggled to hold back a torrent of tears trying to escape. For some reason, she had felt a pang in her chest when she had pushed Ren away. But no matter. She did no…_could not_ regret her actions.

It wasn't that she hadn't liked the warm feeling she had gotten in Ren's arms. It was just that she had felt so safe there. Too safe. She could not allow herself the luxury of feeling safe. To get used to it would endanger innocent lives. She could not let her guard down. Especially now that _he_ had started making _his_ move.

But what _had_ that warm feeling been? That warm feeling which had set her heart racing as Ren comforted her? Was this what the adults called,_ love_?

No! It couldn't be! She could not afford to fall in love with anyone. _He _would simply exploit that and use it to _his_ advantage. Right now, falling in love would weaken her and put her at a disadvantage.

Besides, loving him would put his life in danger. And she had sworn to herself never to endanger another person's life.

_Loving brings along with it, weakness._

_It ties you down and leaves you unable to fly freely._

_And it gives your enemies a weapon against you._

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Hurt shone in Ren's golden eyes as he stared at Lyn's back. He had finally admitted his feelings for Lyn to himself, and yet he had been pushed away when he had tried to comfort her.

But now was not the time for self-pity. Lyn was devastated enough and needed his support. It was the only thing he could do to help right now. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.

Ren stood up and walked towards Lyn, gently holding her elbow with his thumb and index finger. "Hey…are you feeling a little better? If not…you can hit me…just don't hurt yourself by hitting the tree again…"

When Lyn heard the kind and tender tone of Ren's voice, she felt the tears threaten to fall again. She could at least have pushed him away in a kinder way. She forced a weak smile onto her face and nodded slowly.

"Well, do you need to call your relatives and arrange the funeral or something?" Ren asked cautiously, hoping that his question wouldn't upset Lyn any further. Lyn gave him a smile which was steadier than the previous, but at the same time, the smile conveyed strong feelings of sorrow.

"Nah…we haven't really been in touch with the extended family since a certain…_incident_…and besides, my parents would prefer a simple burial. I just need to send them off for the last time, then, I will have to move on."

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Lyn sat by her parents' graves in a forest clearing silently, remembering all the times they had spent together.

Her father had always been there for her, and he had been like both a father and a brother to her. When she had first shown the shamanic ability, her father had been the one who cheered her on and told her never to give up in the course of her training. When she had been chosen for the school basketball team, her father had cheered the loudest at her first match.

Her mother had been the greatest mother. Maybe she would never be perfect, but to Lyn, she would always be the closest to perfect that any mother would ever be. Her mother had looked after her when she was sick, and had taken all the tantrums she had thrown as a child patiently. Her mother had been a friend she could talk to when she had quarreled with her friends, or when a friend had betrayed her.

Lyn was deep in thought, but was awakened to reality when a hand appeared in front of her face with a bunch of wildflowers. She looked up in surprise and saw Ren smiling at her gently. "Here…these flowers are beautiful…they will make the perfect send off gift to your parents…I'm sure they will love it…"

Lyn shook her head, smiling gratefully. "Why don't you take that as your gift to them? I have something else in mind…" Lyn said as she stood up and walked over to her backpack.

Ren set the flowers down in between the two graves, then watched as Lyn dug through her backpack and took out an assortment of trinkets strung together, then walked back to her parents' graves. She set the whole string of trinkets down in between the two graves, next to the flowers.

"What's that?" Ren asked, looking at each of the trinkets curiously.

"They are all souvenirs from things we did together. That bear claw there was from the time when my father brought me to a forest to train, and a bear attacked us, and then we fought it off together…"

"How about this?" Ren asked, pointing to a small round pebble which reflected the light of the setting sun in a rainbow of colours. Lyn looked at it for awhile, her face softening before she shook her head and hardened her expression.

"That…was when we climbed a mountain, and reached the peak…we conquered the mountain…as a _whole_ family…" Ren looked at Lyn in surprise. "A _whole_ family? What do you mean? Haven't you all always done things together?"

"I…had a brother…he was four years older than me…he…died…when I was say, eleven?" Ren looked at Lyn in concern, but saw no trace of emotion on her face. Her face might as well have been carved from stone. "Does Kaede know about this?"

"Nah…he died before I met her, and I never really found the need to tell her about it…anyway, my brother and I found the stone at the peak of the mountain. I was around six then…" There was an awkward silence for awhile.

"Does your hand…hurt?" Ren asked as he took Lyn's right hand gently into his and ran a finger over the wounds tenderly. "I'm fine…I'm numb to the pain…" Lyn replied shortly, slipping her hand out of his, a slight flush on her cheeks.

Ren nodded thoughtfully, then walked towards a nearby tree and leaned against it, looking up at the sky as Lyn continued her reflection.

_The stars are always there,  
__Even when we can't see them.  
__They're always there, watching us,  
__Guiding us, and protecting us._

_The eyes of the heavens,  
__That are the eyes of the souls,  
__Will always watch us,  
__And protect us with their love._

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"Oh! You guys are finally back. Come on…we were about to start dinner without you…" Hao said, grinning as they walked in the front door of Kaede's manor. Lyn nodded silently, her face expressionless, causing Kaede to peer at her worriedly.

"You guys start first…we'll join you in a few minutes…" Ren said as Lyn took a step towards the dining room. He grabbed Lyn's hand, taking care not to touch the wound on her right hand, and pulled her up the stairs into his room.

"Give me that…" Ren said, slipping Lyn's backpack off her shoulder and setting it down beside his duffel bag.

"I'm sure you don't want Kaede to see your hand, in case she gets worried, so lets get it bandaged…" Ren said, digging into his bag and taking out a roll of bandages. Lyn nodded gratefully, and held her left hand out to take the roll of bandages from him, but he shook his head and sat her down on his bed.

Lyn watched in surprise as Ren squatted down in front of her and began bandaging her right hand carefully. Then, she felt a blush slowly creep up her cheeks as her heart beat faster than usual.

Lyn tried to calm herself down. She could not fall in love with Ren. She had to fight that feeling back. Love was a weakness.

"There…we're done…well…let's go down for dinner…" Ren said, giving her an encouraging smile as he stood up. Lyn shook herself out of her thoughts and stood up, walking out the door with Ren following her.

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"Lyn…what happened to your hand? Why is it bandaged?" Kaede asked when she noticed Lyn's bandaged right hand as they were eating. Lyn put her fork and spoon down and smiled bitterly, unconsciously rubbing the bandaged area.

"I fell into a ditch and scratched my knuckles…" Ren blinked in surprise and nearly choked on his food at Lyn's lie. Hao smiled amusedly and chuckled in disbelief. "If that were the case, then why are the scratches so bad? And I think your wound has reopened…I see some traces of blood…"

"The ditch had sharp stones!" Lyn acted as if she was indignant about what Hao had just said. Hao's statement made Ren look closer at the bandages and he realised that Hao was right. Hao laughed at Lyn's reply, and Kaede smiled, although she still looked quite concerned.

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Kaede was lying on her bed in the dark, deep in thought about the day's discoveries when she heard a knock on her door. She opened the door and saw Hao standing outside. "May I come in?" Hao asked, and Kaede nodded, opening the door fully and switching on the lights.

Hao stepped into the room and closed the door gently behind him, then walked to the balcony in Kaede's room. "Every room has a balcony?" Hao asked as he looked down to the garden below. Kaede walked to his side and nodded. Hao continued looking at the garden and there was an awkward silence.

"I'm sorry…" Kaede said suddenly, biting her lower lip. Hao looked at her in surprise. "For?" "You like Lyn, but now, I'm your fiancée and you won't stand a chance with her …" Hao looked at her, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"I never stood a chance with her from the start…and…it is also because of the whole business of you becoming my fiancée that I came here…" Hao paused for a moment, his face serious now.

"I just want to let you know, that it's not that I don't have feelings for you…just the opposite, in fact…but, at the same time, I still haven't managed to let go of Lyn. But I just want to let you know, that if I agree to this engagement, it will be because I love you wholeheartedly. You deserve nothing less…" Hao finished, his face pink.

Kaede opened her mouth to reply, but Hao whipped his body around and he walked to the door before she could say anything. His hand paused at the door handle, and he turned his head to face her.

"Oh…and Ren mentioned that he will be returning to Funbari with Lyn tomorrow morning…he didn't say why…he said that its fine if we want to stay for one more day, and he will send a jet to pick us up the day after tomorrow…so…are you staying, or leaving?" Kaede thought for awhile before making a decision. "I want to stay…it's rare that my father is at home, and I want to spend time with him."

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Ren dried his hair and pulled on his pants after his shower, then walked out to the balcony in his room without a shirt. A cold wind blew, and his loose hair shifted in the breeze. He only spiked his hair in the morning, and usually went to sleep with his hair down.

Ren looked to the side and saw Lyn leaning against her balcony wall, staring up at the sky. She rubbed her nose, then sneezed when a second wind blew. Ren sighed and walked into his room and grabbed a comforter off his bed.

He then walked back out to the balcony, and threw the comforter over to Lyn. His aim was perfect and the comforter landed on her shoulders. "Don't sleep too late…we're leaving tomorrow morning..." Ren called before walking back into his room.

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Ren waited by the front door with his duffel bag and Lyn's backpack by his right foot, which was tapping impatiently. A few minutes later, Lyn ran down the steps with her duffel bag.

"Sorry I'm late!" Lyn called as she ran down the stairs. Just then, she tripped on a lower step and half fell, half flew forward. Ren ran forward and caught her just before she hit the ground. "Be careful…" He growled at her, and she stuck her tongue out sheepishly.

"You didn't sleep did you? Look at how bloodshot your eyes are…" Ren muttered impatiently as he let go of her and picked up his duffel bag and Lyn's backpack. Lyn nodded slowly, then held a hand out for her backpack.

"I'll carry it for you…don't worry about it…" Ren assured her. Lyn looked at him, blinking in surprise.

"Uncle Daisuke, thanks for your hospitality…I'm sorry we have to leave so soon…" Lyn said to Daisuke cheerfully, although Ren could sense that some of the cheerfulness was forced. Daisuke nodded and patted Lyn on the shoulder, telling her that it was fine. Lyn then walked out the front door.

Ren was about to follow her, having already bade goodbye to Daisuke earlier, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Take good care of her…" Daisuke told him, smiling encouragingly and Ren nodded grimly. After dinner the previous night, he had explained to Daisuke why he was bringing Lyn back to Funbari earlier. Daisuke had been very understanding and had promised not to tell Kaede and Hao about Lyn's parents.

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"Lyn…this might be a bad time, but I think I really need to tell you this…I don't want to see you sad, and I want to see you smile. I want you to always have a reason to smile. I have felt this way for a long time. At first, I tried to deny it to myself. A Tao should not feel this way. But ever since I saw you crying yesterday, I can no longer lie to myself…Lyn…I…love you…"

Ren felt heat rise to his cheeks rapidly after he had finished, and waited nervously for Lyn's reply. Then, he felt something hit his shoulder and he saw Lyn asleep on his shoulder. Ren sighed and looked at her sadly. Maybe now was not the time for her to know yet.

Ren ran a finger along Lyn's fringe tenderly, then smiled to himself. At first, he had been angry at himself for letting her into his heart, but she was teaching him so many things about himself that he never knew. Parts of him that he never knew existed had been shown because of her. So, maybe falling in love with her had been a good thing after all.

**Haha END! If you aren't too sure why I used certain words in the poems (The first two italics), you can PM me…I'll explain to you! Review! Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10: Celandine

**Wahaha chapter 10! Oh yea snow-angel-anna has already updated, so remember to go check it out…oh and I have started a shared blog with her, http://-wings-of-freedom-. and we will be posting our updates on our fan fiction there, so do check it out from time to time. Thanks to my reviewers again! Especially those who stood up for snow-angel-anna and me. On to chapter 10.**

**Chapter 10- Celandine (Joy to come)**

Kaede walked down the corridor towards Lyn's room, and was surprised when she opened the door to an empty room. She scratched her head in confusion before heading down to the dining room.

"Hey sleepyhead. Finally decided to join us?" Hao asked, smiling gently at her as she entered the dining room. Kaede looked around the dining room for Lyn and Ren, and frowned in confusion when she didn't see them.

"Where are Ren and Lyn?" Kaede asked, looking at Daisuke and Hao in confusion. "They left earlier this morning…" Daisuke told her, a strange expression on his face, as if he was upset about something.

"You forgot?" Hao asked, raising an eyebrow at her in amusement. Kaede shook her head, then sat opposite Hao. She hadn't forgotten. She had just wanted to check if Lyn was alright before they left. For some reason, she just couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad had happened, and that Lyn wasn't as happy as she made herself seem.

Kaede took a seat across the table from Hao, and looked at Daisuke and Hao, who were discussing current global issues. Kaede smiled a small smile. She was glad that her father and Hao were getting along so well. Just then, the maids walked into the dining room from the kitchen, setting plates of pancakes in front of them, and Kaede began eating slowly.

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"Lyn…Hey…Lyn…wake up…we're at the airport…" Lyn opened her eyes drowsily as a gentle hand shook her awake, and gave a small start when she saw Ren's concerned face close to hers. She felt her head leaning on something and she felt her cheeks heating up when she realised that she was leaning on Ren's shoulder.

"Sorry!" Lyn cried, jerking her head from Ren's shoulder. Ren smiled gently at her, shaking his head kindly. "It's fine…I saw how comfortably you were sleeping so I didn't wake you up. You must be tired because you didn't sleep at all last night…"

"Well…I nearly fell asleep two times, but every time my eyes closed, images would start appearing before me, so after the second time, I didn't dare close my eyes again…" Lyn said, smiling weakly.

"Images of what happened yesterday?" Ren asked concernedly. Lyn nodded slowly, then feigned a cheerful smile. "But I'm fine now! I didn't have any nightmares just now while I was sleeping…"

_Was it because…you were there by my side?  
So I felt protected and safe in my heart.  
What is this new feeling in me,  
that I do not comprehend fully?_

_It cannot be love, it shall not be so  
For love is a weakness I scarce can afford  
It simply is friendship, a closeness with you  
That gives us a bond, like siblings do._

Ren nodded slowly, then tilted his head towards the exit of the plane. "Well, lets get going. You need to rest after a sleepless night, so the sooner we get to the En Inn, the better…" He said, standing up and swinging Lyn's backpack onto his back before taking his duffel bag.

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"Kaede…hey Kaede…are you alright? You looked quite out of it during breakfast, as if you were worried about something." Hao asked, waving a hand in Kaede's face to get her attention. Kaede shook her head with a start and nodded. "I'm fine…I just get the feeling that something bad happened to Lyn…"

"I'm sure it's just your imagination…" Hao told her, smiling encouragingly, although his face was doubtful when he turned to walk out of the dining room.

Just when Kaede had walked out of the dining room, Daisuke came running down the stairs, pulling a tie on. "Kaede dear…I'm terribly sorry but something cropped up at work, so I can't spend the day with you…" Daisuke said, patting Kaede on the head apologetically.

Kaede bit her lip and held her tears back. She had been looking forward to spending the day with her father, but now…

"I _hate_ you…I wish Mum had been the one who won custody of me." She muttered under her breath before running up the stairs to her room, swallowing a lump which rose to her throat.

Daisuke looked at Lyn's disappearing back helplessly, his shoulders slumping. Hao stood staring at him in a stunned silence for awhile, before reaching out to pat his shoulder. "Don't worry…I'll talk to her…"

Daisuke nodded slowly, and Hao pushed him down onto a chair, before running towards the stairs after Kaede. Hao paused at the foot of the stairs and glanced at Daisuke, who had his head buried in his hands. Hao let out a heavy sigh before running up the stairs to Kaede's room.

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"Give me a sec…you wait there with the bags while I make an important call…" Ren said just as they were walking out the exit of the airport. Lyn nodded, looking at him curiously as he walked away and took out his handphone. "Yoh? I need you to do me a favour…"

"Alright…I'm done…Let's get going…" Ren walked towards Lyn and ruffled her hair. Lyn smiled up at him gratefully. She knew that he was trying to cheer her up. But she was fine. She had to be, or _he_ would only use it to _his_ advantage.

"Umm…I wanna head somewhere else first, so why don't you head back first…" Lyn said, looking out in the distance thoughtfully. "Am I welcome to join you?" Ren asked, smiling amusedly.

Lyn looked at Ren for a moment before nodding somewhat happily. She blinked in surprise at what she had just done. For some reason, the thought of Ren being there with her brought a surge of joy within her, unlike the thought of being there alone.

"So where are we going?" Ren asked, casually putting a hand on Lyn's shoulder. Lyn stared at his hand in surprise, but let it be. "It's quite close to the En Inn…so I guess we can drop our stuff off first…"

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Hao knocked on Kaede's room door, and then waited patiently for a response. "Go away! Just leave me alone!" Kaede shouted in reply, her voice slightly muffled. Hao sighed, then knocked once more. "I'm coming in whether you like it or not, so I'm giving you ten seconds to get ready!"

Hao waited until ten seconds had passed, then turned the door knob and opened the door. He closed the door behind him as he entered the room, leaving the room in darkness.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw the figure of Kaede huddled up on her bed. He walked to her bed and sat down on the edge of it, sighing when she turned her back to him, facing the wall.

He sat further into her bed, and as he shifted, his hand brushed past her pillow. It was wet, indicating that she had been crying.

Hao shifted until he was leaning against the wall, then pulled Kaede up so she was leaning against him, head on his shoulder. He slipped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

"Kaede…I know how much you were looking forward to spending the day with your father. But that isn't a reason for you to kick up such a big fuss. I'm sure he was looking forward to today as much as you were, if not more…"

There was a short silence before Kaede replied. "Every time he made a promise to spend time with me, something would come up. I thought that it would be better now that I have cleared things up with him, but nothing has changed. He always finds his work more important."

"Still…the fact that he fought so hard with your mum for the custody of you proves how much he loves you…So why don't you try to understand him, instead of saying those hurtful things to him? You know what he looked like when I left him? He looked like a broken man. His expression was that pained…"

Hao took a deep breath before continuing. "Every time something crops up at work and he can't keep his promise to spend time with you, he is probably as upset as you are, sometimes even more…He is torn between his work and spending time with you. But you have to remember. Your dad is the boss of his company. Not some normal worker. He has a responsibility not only to himself, but to every single one of his workers."

Kaede nodded slowly. "I never thought of it that way…thank you for helping me to understand my father more…" Hao smiled at Lyn. "Alright then…let's go down and talk to your father…"

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Ren wrote a poem carefully and neatly on a piece of blue coloured paper, taking care not to smudge the ink when the bus jolted.

"What are you writing?" Lyn asked suddenly, causing Ren to nearly jump out of his skin. He snatched the piece of paper he was writing on off his lap and hid it behind his back. "Nothing!" He said, blushing furiously.

"Oh I see…it must be a love letter of some sort…so which of our classmates are gonna get it?" Lyn asked, grinning mischievously. "You." Ren said, smirking when Lyn flushed slightly. "Wha-whatever…Even if you don't want to tell me who you're giving it to, you don't have to tease me about it…"

Ren waited until Lyn had turned to look out the bus window before he started writing again, casting occasional glances at her to make sure she was not watching. It was not yet time for her to see what he had written on the paper. That would only spoil the surprise he had planned for her.

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"Dad…I'm sorry for being so selfish…" Kaede said, biting her lip as she bowed apologetically to Daisuke. Daisuke smiled in relief and nodded. "I'm glad that you understand…so is there anywhere you want to go to? I can at least send you there…"

Kaede shook her head, but Hao nodded, grinning. "Yes. Could you please send us to the town? I want to bring Kaede to the movies." Daisuke smiled and nodded, walking out the front door.

Kaede looked at Hao in surprise, but he merely grinned mischievously and winked at her. "It's our first date!" Kaede's eyes widened, but she couldn't help smiling blissfully as Hao pulled her out the front door.

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"Is what I asked Yoh to get for me ready?" Ren asked Anna after setting Lyn's bags on the floor. Anna rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What do you think? What you ask for is very hard to get at this time of the year…Yoh has been running around town with Manta and Ryu, trying to find it for you…"

Ren nodded thoughtfully. "Is it for her?" Anna asked, looking at Lyn. Ren flushed slightly and nodded. "Tell Yoh to call me or send me a message when he has gotten what I need. I'll try to keep her out until then…oh and pass this to Yoh. It's part of the surprise. And don't open it, no matter what…" Ren finished, fishing the envelope with the poem he had written out of his pocket.

Anna nodded and walked away from Ren and Lyn, towards the living room where she probably had been watching TV before they had interrupted her.

"Oh…Anna…" Ren called as a sudden thought came to mind. She turned around and looked at him, her eyebrows raised questioningly. "Is it alright with you if I moved in to the inn too?"

Anna looked at him questioningly, but didn't ask any questions, simply nodding before turning around. "I'll help you call Jun and ask her to bring your stuff down, so you just keep Lyn away from the inn until everything is ready…" She called as she walked away.

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"That movie was so sad…I cried at the part where the girl was in a coma and they showed how helpless the guy was…" Hao smiled in amusement as Kaede talked about the movie they had just watched. It had been a romantic movie, nothing like the horror shows Hao normally watched.

Hao looked around as he walked along the sidewalk with Kaede, then stopped and pulled her back when he spotted a flower shop. "Give me a second…I just want to check if they happen to have stock of a certain flower…" Hao said, smiling at her as he walked into the shop.

When Hao emerged, he was holding a mini bouquet of flowers. He handed the bouquet to Kaede, who stared at it in surprise. The bouquet consisted of bunches of pink Sainfoin flowers with a yellow centre consisting of Celandine flowers.

"The Sainfoin flowers symbolize confusion in a relationship, while the Celandine flowers symbolize joy to come. I chose this combination of flowers to tell you that I am confused about my feelings towards you, but I promise you that I will clear my doubts, so that I can give you joy and love you whole heartedly in future."

Kaede blushed when she heard Hao say this, and blushed even more when he leant towards her. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and her eyes widened in surprise. She felt all the blood rushing to her face when she saw him looking at her amusedly.

"Well, let's get going…It's getting late, so I think we had better head back." Hao said, taking Kaede's hand in his and walking towards the town exit.


	11. Chapter 11: Confessions

**Wahahaha chapter 11! The first part of this was actually supposed to be part of chapter 10, but I decided it would be nicer to shift it to chapter 11. Not that it made much of a difference for me, considering how I'm one of those writers who can't plan too far ahead…in other words, I only plan significant events…the rest are written as I go along. Wahaha snow-angel-anna has also updated, so go check it out.**

**Chapter 11- Confessions**

Ren sat leaning against a tree, staring into the setting sun as he waited impatiently and somewhat nervously for Yoh's message. Just then, he felt leaves being scattered over him and he saw Lyn grinning at him mischievously.

"I'm sorry…I just couldn't resist the urge…you were so deep in thought you didn't even notice me sneaking away…what were you thinking about anyway?" Lyn asked, grinning.

Ren opened his mouth and was about to come up with an excuse when he suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pants pocket. He took his phone out and saw the message he had been waiting for.

'We're ready. Oh and we saw the letter. It was _so_ sweet. But what happened anyway?'

Ren let out a low growl when he saw the message. Those busybodies. He had specifically told them _not_ to open the envelope. He was going to kill Yoh and Horo Horo.

"Hey!" Yoh greeted them when they entered the dining room. "You're just in time for dinner!" Yoh told them with a smile, gesturing towards the table, which had already been set for six. Ren noticed Jun sitting at the end of the table, opposite Anna.

Ren growled in exasperation when his sister gave him a knowing smile. It seemed that she too had been informed of the contents of the letter.

"Ren, we've already put your stuff in your room…" Jun said, continuing to smile at him knowingly. Lyn looked at him in surprise "Your room?" "Ren is going to be moving in with us as of today…" Yoh said, grinning. Lyn nodded thoughtfully, then sat down at the table opposite Yoh and Horo Horo. Ren sat down next to her, glaring at Yoh and Horo Horo furiously.

Lyn stared at the food while everyone began eating, and then she suddenly stood up. "On second thought…I have no appetite right now…" She said, walking to her room.

Ren stared at her disappearing back worriedly, then turned back when he felt someone tap his shoulder. "So…mind telling us what really happened?" Yoh asked, looking at him questioningly.

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Lyn slid her room door close behind her and blinked as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness. She felt fresh tears in her eyes, and she looked up at the ceiling and blinked in an attempt to force the tears back. When she felt that the tears were no longer threatening to fall, she straightened her head.

Lyn noticed three new objects on her table and walked towards it in curiosity. She switched on her table lamp and saw that the objects were actually three individual stalks of flowers. There was a red poppy, a yellow daffodil and a white narcissus. Then, Lyn noticed an envelope under the three stalks of flowers.

Lyn took the envelope and opened it slowly, wondering what was inside. When she opened the letter, what met her eyes was a whole page of Ren's handwriting.

_Hey…Lyn…I know you are feeling upset right now. I'm not very good at comforting people face to face, so I decided to write a letter instead. Yoh was the one who helped me get the flowers. _

_Anyway, all three flowers are of a different species, and have different meanings behind them. However, they all have one common message. They can be used as a consolation in time of death._

_I know you are upset about your parents' deaths, no matter how you try to hide it. I felt so helpless when I saw how devastated you were by your parents' deaths. There you were, crying your heart out, and yet there was nothing I could do to lessen your pain._

_To lose a loved one. That feeling must be terrible, like you're drowning, desperately fighting to reach the surface of the water, and yet there is something pulling you back._

_Maybe I don't really understand what you are feeling. But I want to try to understand, if only you would let me. Don't try so hard to pretend that everything is fine when you don't really feel that way._

_Maybe you think that by hiding your pain, you will be able to lessen your friends' worry. But that isn't the case at all. In fact, by hiding your feelings from us, you are actually making us worry even more._

'_Is Lyn really ok? She looks so happy. And yet, somewhere deep inside, I know that she's hurting so bad.' This is the thought which crosses my mind every time I see you force a smile._

_I'm so afraid. I fear that if you keep bottling your pain up, you might just crack from the pressure. Why do you persist in hiding your pain from us?_

_Are you trying to prove that you are strong, because the one who killed your parents might be watching? So you don't allow yourself to cry, and you don't share your problems with us?_

'_It takes courage to dare to cry openly. True courage.' That is one thing that I have learnt, thanks to Yoh's friendship._

_So please. Stop hurting yourself further this way. I want to be able to comfort you, and be there for you. But I can't unless you allow me to._

_I'm sure Kaede and the rest are worried about you too. Especially Kaede. I can see that you are like a little sister to her. And she kept looking at you over dinner last night. She's worried. She can sense that something happened to you, but she doesn't know what._

_There's no need to protect yourself  
__From those who are your friends  
__We want to know your tears  
__So share with us your fears_

_Don't build a wall around your heart  
__To keep us from understanding your pain  
__We want to comfort you and support you  
__Be there for you when you fall_

_Hope you like that poem...it was just a short one, and maybe I'm not really good at writing poems._

_If this letter seems very awkward, I apologise. Right now, inside of me, is such a mess of emotions. Half of them are very alien to me. And besides, I was never good at expressing my emotions, even in words._

_But somehow, when it's with you, I seem to be able to open up more easily. I just find it easy to talk to you._

_Cheer up, ok? I really hope to see you smiling soon. A REAL smile. One of true happiness_

_我愛你,_

_Ren._

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"…when we got back to her house, we found it in flames. The situation seemed bleak. I think that somewhere deep inside, she was hoping against hope that her parents were alright, that they were still safe and sound. But when she saw their bodies, the last of her hope was destroyed…"

Ren paused, remembering how anguished Lyn had been. She had hung on so desperately to that last trace of hope, only to have it destroyed so mercilessly.

At that time, she had fought with so much anger and hatred. It had been the first time he had seen Lyn's face so twisted with rage, all trace of innocence and joy gone. The first time, and he honestly hoped that it would be the last.

Her battle with the one who had killed her parents. Her struggle within herself. Her devastation and sorrow. All the different emotions Lyn had felt, the different faces he had seen. Those were to be kept between the two of them, unless she chose to share it with the rest.

Ren took a deep breath before continuing. "Lyn cried a bit, and then we gave her parents a simple burial. That was about it."

"And her bandaged hand?" Yoh asked, his face serious for once.

"A result of her frustration. She vented it on a tree." Ren answered simply, hiding his own emotions.

"And who did…" Horo Horo asked, a stunned expression on his face.

"I have no idea. He looked about…two years older than Yoh. Which makes him about four years older than Lyn." Ren ended abruptly, his mouth gaping.

Could it be? No. What were the chances of such a coincidence? And yet, there were certainly similarities between them. And it would explain Lyn's hesitation to kill him.

_Is he, her brother?_

_But…she told me that he had died…_

_And yet, there are those undeniable similarities,_

_And it would explain so many things._

_If he really is her brother._

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"Ren…Hey Ren!" Horo Horo called worriedly, shaking Ren from his thoughts. Ren blinked in surprise, looking around the room for awhile as if surprised to be there.

"Are you alright, dude? You looked really…scared or something back there…" Horo Horo asked, peering at Ren in concern.

"I'm not scared! Tao Ren fears nothing but fear itself. Not even death!" Ren exclaimed, scowling. Yoh stared at Ren in shock before grinning. "Wow, Ren. You sure switched back to your old self quickly. I kinda liked the softer, kinder Ren."

"Whatever…" Ren muttered, standing up and walking towards the stairs. "Where are you going?" Jun asked, looking at him curiously. Ren stopped, but did not turn to face Jun and the rest. "What do you think? I'm going to sleep…" He snapped before walking forward.

"One last thing!" Yoh called, grinning. "When you signed off in that letter. There was a Chinese character which looked like the Japanese kanji for love. So does it mean the same thing?"

Ren flushed slightly as he whipped his head around, and tried to hide it with a scowl. "Don't push it. I haven't given you your due for reading the letter when I specifically told you not to read it…" Before Ren could continue, Anna interrupted.

"Actually, you told me to tell Yoh not to open the letter. You didn't say that he was not allowed to read it. So I opened it for him. Yoh didn't open the letter, so he didn't do anything wrong."

"Damn you! That letter was _personal_! And that character…has nothing to do with love. It's different from the Japanese kanji. It means friendship." Ren growled in annoyance.

"Oh stop denying it, Ren. That character means love, and you _know_ it. Why don't you admit your feelings for Lyn already…" Jun said teasingly, Pai Long nodding his agreement. Ren's whole face reddened and he scowled, turning around and walking up the stairs.

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Ren slowly slid the door open, slipping into Lyn's room silently and gently sliding the door shut behind him. When he saw that her bed was empty, a sudden fear that something had happened to her gripped his heart.

Ren's eyes darted around the room, and rested on a figure sleeping on the table. He walked over towards the table and saw that Lyn was sleeping on her table, a peaceful smile on her face. Ren smiled and gently ran his fingers through her hair. The silly girl had fallen asleep at her table, and she hadn't even switched her table lamp off.

As Ren reached for the switch to turn the lamp off, he noticed a piece of paper scrunched up in Lyn's hand. He smiled when he saw that it was the letter he had written for her. If that was the reason behind her peaceful smile, then it had been well worth the effort.

Ren considered carrying Lyn back to her bed, but decided against it for fear of waking her up. He took the covers from her bed and draped it over her shoulders gently, then took a step back and smiled again when he saw the peaceful smile on her face.

So this was what love was. Such an immense feeling towards a single person, so that you would sacrifice your life to protect her, and so you only wanted to see her safe and happy.

Now that Ren thought about it, he had no idea when he had started having feelings for her. Maybe it had been on the first night after they had met, when she had shown how accepting she was. She hadn't been bothered by his past, her only concerns being the present and the future.

Or maybe it had been the night when he had overheard her conversation with her father, when he had learnt of her dark secret. Whatever it was, the fact remained that the Ren standing where he was today, would not have come into existence had it not been for her.

He had fallen for her, fallen hard. And yet, Ren was satisfied. He had never thought he would say this, but, he was glad he had met her, and fallen for her.

Just then, a cold wind blew through the open window above the desk. Ren reached across to shut the window, and froze when he heard Lyn shifting in her sleep. "Thank you…Ren…" She murmured, looking at him with her eyes.

Her eyes, which gave away her every emotion. Her eyes, which made hiding her emotions impossible. Those eyes were now shining with life. When Ren looked into her eyes, he felt as if he was surrounded by many stars, shining gently, giving him hope and the strength to carry on.

Ren smiled at her, and ruffled her hair playfully. "Well, if you're going to sleep, you should sleep on your bed next time, yea?" He said, grinning as he shut the window.

Lyn nodded gratefully, then walked over to her bed and clambered in under the covers. "Thank you for the letter. It made me feel much better. I'm fine now. Honestly." She said, grinning at him before she lay down.

Ren looked at her, and decided to question her about _his_ identity another day. Seeing how at peace she was now, he simply didn't have the heart to bring up something so serious.

"Umm…about the letter…" Ren murmured, flushing slightly, unsure if he should explain his feelings for her.

"I know. I understand some Chinese. My mother was from China." Lyn replied grinning, her eyes reflecting the light of the moonbeams flowing into the room.

Ren thought about it, and cursed himself for not realising it sooner. Tsukiko _had_ had a distinct Chinese accent when she spoke.

"But…why…what did I do to deserve your love?" Lyn asked, looking at him, her eyes trembling with uncertainty.

Ren thought hard. He himself was unsure of when he had first developed feelings for Lyn, so how was he supposed to tell her why?

"Because you are you." Ren answered simply, and was surprised at how such a simple reply summed up his reasons for loving Lyn so well.

"Huh?" Lyn asked, sitting up and scratching her head in confusion. Ren smiled gently and sat down next to her on the bed.

"I won't say that it's because of your voice, or because of your smile. I won't even say it's because of your bubbly personality and your sensitivity. Because, if I loved you for those reasons, I would stop loving you when you are lying unconscious on a bed. After all, when you are unconscious, I can neither hear your voice, nor see your smile. I would no longer be able to say that you are so full of life, nor feel your concern."

Ren flushed, and took a deep breath before continuing. "That's why. I love you simply because you are you. And no matter what happens, you will always have a special place in my heart. You are the first person for whom I have felt this way. And you will be the only one."

Lyn sat next to Ren in silence, gripping the bed sheet tightly within her fists and biting her lips. "I don't understand what this is that I feel for you. I think that it's love, but I don't dare to let it be so. I'm afraid that _he_ would do something to you."

Ren put an arm around Lyn's shoulder, pulling her towards him. "Don't worry. I will protect you." Lyn gave Ren a worried look, and he smiled encouragingly. "Have more faith in me. I _am_ the Shaman King after all…"

"Thank you, Ren…" Lyn murmured, and Ren smiled gently, taking his hands off her shoulder as he stood up and walked towards the door, sliding it open. "You should rest…" He said before he walked out of the room, sliding the door shut behind him.

_I would protect you with my life,  
__Even if I was not the Shaman King.  
__If I had been born a human,  
__I would still fight for you.  
__For you are my love.  
__My one and only love._

-我愛你 IS the 'wo ai ni' you always see in fics. (For those who don't know Chinese) But I'm sure most of you figured that out already. Haha

**I only have one thing to say. It was so sweet. I enjoyed writing it. Amazing, considering how it's FLUFF and I used to have writers blocks when it came to fluff.**


	12. Chapter 12: Revelations

**Heys! Chapter 12! Haha I'm feeling hyper now. Besides that small amount of irritation at a certain someone. So small, it's quite insignificant. So anyway, thanks to all my reviewers, except maybe one…Hee. Anyways, let's get on with the chapter!**

**Chapter 12- Revelations**

Lyn stared at the building before her in shock. How could this be? She had fallen asleep in her room at the En Inn, and yet, she was now standing in front of her house. What had used to be her house.

Lyn was glad that no more tears threatened to fall at the thought of her parents' deaths. But if she had gotten over it, what was she doing standing here in front of her house?

"It's a new ability of mine. I can bring you to a place of my choice in your sleep. And even better. Whatever happens to any living creature here, happens in real life. So I could just kill you here."

Lyn spun around only to find herself face to face with _him_, but for once, she was able to stare him straight in the eye without feeling any regret or anger.

"So now you're using a coward's technique? You don't dare to fight with me head on, so now you use these kinda despicable methods?" She said mockingly, a smirk on her face.

"I am preoccupied with other matters right now, so I'm using this to remind you of my presence. We wouldn't want you to forget me now, would we?" _He_ replied, a spine chilling grin twisting _his_ face.

"I would never forget you. For what you have done, I will never forgive you." Lyn growled through gritted teeth.

"While you say that in your mind, does your heart agree? You are too soft. Sometimes, you really get on my nerves." _He _commented, _his_ smirk growing every minute.

"Then why don't you kill me right now?" Lyn challenged, defiance in every word. "Or is our big bad guy unable to bring himself to do such a thing? Considering who I am to you…"

_He_ sighed, shaking _his_ head with a grin. "How long has it been? Four years or so? And you still do not understand how I think. I broke all bonds with you that day I decided to leave. The reason why I do not kill you, is not because I still love you. It is simply because I have other plans in mind."

_He_ grabbed Lyn's right arm in _his_ left hand and gripped her chin with _his_ free hand, pulling her face towards _his_ mouth.

"I will start with your friends. Especially that one who is giving you so much joy. Until then, remember me…" _He_ whispered in her ear, a sadistic smile on _his_ face. _He_ let go of her face, but _his_ grip on her right hand tightened.

As _his_ grip tightened, _his_ nails dug into her skin, opening up fresh cuts. Suddenly, there was a burning sensation on her hand and Lyn's eyes widened when she saw her hand being licked by flames.

"That burn will serve as a reminder until the next time we meet. Until then, make sure you keep fighting to keep yourself afloat in this vicious cycle of life."

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Lyn jerked awake, praying that it had all just been a dream. She shifted on her bed, then she felt a sharp pain on her right arm and she winced, tearing.

So it had not been a dream after all. It had all happened for real. Lyn closed her eyes, and felt comfort at the pitch black which appeared.

She was so tired of all these. She was fighting so hard to keep living, and yet, with a simple sentence, _he_ could put all her effort to waste. She was just so tired, and she felt the fight in her being drained out slowly every time she met _him_.

But she would keep fighting. Not because _he_ had told her to. She was surprised when she realised that revenge was not the driving force in her life. Since the previous night, Ren had become her pillar of support.

Lyn sighed and climbed out of bed. It didn't look like she would get anymore sleep tonight. She opened the window by her bed and climbed out of it and onto the roof, wincing each time a sharp pain attacked her right arm. She would have to remember to bandage it later.

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Hao sat up and crawled out of his bed when his alarm sounded. He had returned sometime last night with Kaede, so he was still quite tired. He smiled when he thought of how happy Kaede had been when she had gotten to spend her Sunday with her father.

He was glad that he was beginning to want to see her happy, even more than ever. And he was slowly beginning to treat Lyn as a friend. Kaede deserved a person who could love her wholly, and he was glad that he was that person.

Speaking of Lyn. Hao remembered how worried Kaede had been about her, and he remembered how he had forced Ren to tell him what had happened after Lyn had gone to bed. To think that she could still smile at a time like this.

**Flashback:**

"_Lyn…what happened to her? I just can't shake off the feeling that something bad happened." Kaede asked Ren, her voice frantic._

"_I…can't tell you. I gave her my word that I wouldn't tell the two of you…" Ren growled in frustration at Kaede's pleas. He had made a promise, and he intended to keep it, but Kaede's constant pleading was seriously beginning to irk him._

"_Dammit Ren! Can't you see how frantic Kaede is? Can't you spare a thought for her too?" Hao shouted, grabbing Ren by the collar and slamming his back into the wall._

"_Ren…just tell them…the truth will come to light sooner or later anyway. Nobody can keep something so serious away from their friends, especially if it's the truth. The truth can never be hidden for too long." Yoh said, as he pulled Hao away from Ren._

_Ren rubbed his neck, which was sore from Hao's handling. Hao had a strong grip, especially when he wanted it so. " Fine. Lyn's parents were murdered by a strange guy…She fought against him, but her attempt to exact revenge was unsuccessful. But she's alright now."_

"_How can you be so nonchalant about this?!" Hao shouted, slamming his palms down on the table in frustration. "How can anyone be alright so soon after losing their family?!"_

"_Hao…stop it…Lyn did seem fine just now during dinner. When Lyn gets upset, she loses her appetite, so the fact that she ate such a big meal means that she's alright…" Kaede said, biting her lower lip. "All I needed to know was what happened…"_

**End flashback.**

Hao stood up with a sigh and changed into his school uniform, then walked down to the dining room for breakfast. If Lyn refused to show her sadness, there was nothing he could do. The job of comforting her would go to Ren.

Hao smiled wryly at the thought. The old him would have been jealous of how close Ren and Lyn now were, but ever since he had made that promise to Kaede, he had slowly learnt to let go of his feelings for Lyn, and now he found that he was happy for them.

Yoh was right when he had said that the two of them made a good couple. They just looked so right together, and they were happy in each other's presence.

Just like the growing feelings within him for Kaede.

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Ren entered the kitchen, perspiration dripping down his face and bare back from his morning workout. He grabbed three bottles of milk from the refrigerator, then walked into the dining room.

"Ren…not your milk again. Now I gotta go restock the milk…" Yoh complained from where he was slaving over the stove under Anna's watchful eye, preparing breakfast.

Just as he sat down at the table and opened the first bottle of milk, gulping down its contents. Hao entered the dining room, and after him, Horo Horo.

Ren smirked, then regretted it when he nearly choked on the milk. He finished the rest of the contents in the first bottle, and opened a second.

Just when he was finishing the contents of the second bottle, Lyn walked into the room with Kaede, talking and waving her hands animatedly. Ren spotted a blur of white when she waved her hands, and realised that Lyn's right arm was bandaged.

"What happened?" Ren asked concernedly as Lyn sat down next to him. Lyn stared at him in surprise, then grinned sheepishly when she noticed what Ren was talking about.

"Nothing much. I just felt like wearing it. I think it looks cool! Just like one of those ninjas in Naruto." Lyn joked, laughing.

Ren raised an eyebrow in disbelief, then gulped down the remaining content of the second bottle. Maybe she was lying now because she didn't want the others to find out.

Ren reached for the third bottle of milk, but all his hands caught were air. He stared down in surprise to find the bottle gone, then realised that Lyn had been the one to take the bottle.

"Hope you don't mind…" Lyn said, grinning as she raised the bottle to her lips. Ren shrugged, and Lyn beamed at him before turning to Horo Horo, Hao and Kaede and telling them a joke.

"Well…at least it was the _third_ bottle_…" _Ren thought wryly.

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"Aizawa Lyn!" Their science teacher shouted at the sleeping Lyn. Ren looked back in surprise, and saw that Lyn was fast asleep on her table. Surprising, considering that she loved science, but it was expected.

On their way to school, when he had asked her why she had dark rings around her eyes, she had told him that she had been unable to sleep due to a nightmare. That had been all she had been willing to tell him.

"Aizawa Lyn! Lift your head from the table this instant!" Their science teacher shouted again. When there was no reaction from Lyn, they science teacher began stalking towards her table, her eyes bulging. Ren could have sworn he saw smoke pouring from her ears.

"Miss…Lyn's just tired…Something happened to her over the weekend and she hasn't been sleeping well. Please let her off for now." Ren stood up and told the teacher politely.

The teacher stared at him for awhile, enraged, then nodded and walked back to the board, resuming her lessons.

"How does _he_ know?" "When did he get so close to Lyn?" "How can this be?! Ren was supposed _my_ boyfriend!" "He told me to get out of his way the other day when I stopped him to say hi, and now he's being so nice to Lyn?" "What did someone like _her _do to deserve someone as nice as him?"

Murmurs of the girls who were infatuated with Ren filled the class, some of them reaching Ren's ears. "Hey! Lyn's not that bad!" One of the guys, Katsuo suddenly shouted.

"SILENCE!" Their science teacher shouted, her face contorted with rage. "Miss Aizawa is the _only_ one excused. I didn't say anything about the rest of you! If this continues, the _whole_ class is going to land in detention for the rest of this school year!"

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Ren put his pen down on his and glanced at the clock. Their math teacher had sprung a surprise quiz on them. He had wanted to wake Lyn, who had been sleeping like a baby when he had entered the class, but when Ren had explained the situation to him, the teacher had decided to let her off.

Ren had finished the whole test in 15 minutes. Ren sighed and turned around to check on Lyn, and saw that she was still sleeping. He turned back to the front and began sorting out his thoughts.

Was _he_ really her brother? It just fitted in so perfectly, it was too much of a coincidence. They looked alike, and _he_ looked about four years older than her, which meant that _he _was the same age as her brother.

Ren honestly hoped that it was all just him thinking too much. Anyway, why would Lyn lie to him about something like this? But if it were true…she must be fighting a really intense battle with her own inner demons.

And the nightmare which she had written off so casually. There was probably more behind it then she was telling him. It must have been quite upsetting to have made her lose sleep over it.

"Time's up…" The math teacher announced, and began collecting the papers. Just as he finished collecting the papers, the lunch bell rang.

"Class dismissed…" These words had barely left the mouth of the teacher when the students stood up and ran out of class, some complaining about how difficult the quiz had been.

Ren turned and saw that Lyn was still sleeping, and he decided to get her a drink before waking her up. "I'm gonna get a drink for Lyn and myself…do you want anything?"

Kaede smiled and shook her head, taking a packet of food from her school bag. "No thanks…I'm meeting Hao for lunch today…"

Ren grinned at the look of joy on Kaede's face and nodded. "Right…have fun…" He said, turning around and walking out of the classroom.

When some of the girls saw Ren walking out of the class, they stood up and ran after him. "Ren! Are you going for lunch?" "Can we join you?" Ren clenched his fists, irked by the girls' clingy behaviour.

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"Hey…Lyn…are you ok?" Katsuo asked, shaking Lyn's left hand. Lyn looked up drowsily and muttered something incoherent, then shook her head, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh…Hi Katsuo…where's everybody? Why's the class so empty?" Katsuo stared at her in surprise, then began chuckling. "Gosh…you slept through the lunch bell even? You're so cute…"

Lyn looked at him for awhile, before what he said registered. She nodded slowly and looked around, wondering where Ren and Kaede were.

"So, are you ok? You were sleeping through all the classes. Ren told the teachers that something happened to you over the weekend, so you haven't been feeling well?"

Lyn grinned sheepishly, and began laughing softly. "Nah it was nothing much…I just had a few nightmares…" Katsuo began laughing, and then sat down sidewards on Ren's seat, and struck up a conversation with Lyn. "What happened to your hand anyway?"

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"Kaede…do you feel better now that you cleared things up with your father over the weekend?" Hao asked, putting an arm around Kaede's shoulder as they sat side by side on the bench.

"Yea…thanks Hao…it was you who helped me to understand my father more…" Kaede replied, leaning towards Hao, enjoying the warmth which radiated from his body. It was especially comforting in the cool autumn.

"I'm glad that Lyn finally has someone she can lean on for support. She always used to hide how she felt from me, and never told me when she felt upset about something." Kaede murmured, remembering how cheerful Lyn had been that morning, even though her parents had just died. Lyn had always put on a tough exterior, so it was good that she had someone to talk to now.

"Well, I hope that it's the same for you, k? There's no need to hide your feelings from me. I want to be able to make you smile. I hope to be able to be your pillar of support…" Hao said, smiling at her.

"Every time you want to cry, share your tears with me. Every time you want to scream, share your anger with me. All your emotions. I want to know you. The whole deal. Not just the silent side of you…" Hao said, smiling at Kaede.

Just then, Yoh, Horo Horo and Anna came running towards them. "What the heck? And I was actually looking forward to lunch break…" Hao muttered as he hastily removed his hand from around Kaede's shoulder.

_But right now_

_All I want to do_

_Is to love you wholeheartedly_

_And give you a thousand reasons to smile._

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Ren walked back to class carrying two cans of drinks in his hand, and froze when he saw Katsuo chatting Lyn up. He walked towards Lyn and set the two drinks on her table, then glared at Katsuo. "That's my seat…" He growled, folding his arms impatiently.

Katsuo stared at him in surprise for awhile, but when he saw the impatient expression on Ren's face, he stood up and slowly backed away. "Alright…I'm leaving already…relax man…"

Ren rolled his eyes and sat down on his seat, turning his chair around so he sat facing Lyn. "Pick the drink that you want. And did you even bring your lunch? You forgot right?" Lyn grinned and nodded sheepishly, taking one of the cans and opening it.

Ren sighed, and reached into his bag, taking two packets out. He tossed one of the packets at Lyn. "Predictable…" Lyn opened the packet and peered at its contents curiously.

"What is it?" Lyn asked, pulling a face. "Chinese Buns…" Ren muttered, taking a bun from his packet and sinking his teeth into it.

Lyn took a bun out and stared at it suspiciously. "Is it even…edible?" She asked, turning the bun around and examining it. "Of course it's edible!" Ren growled in exasperation. Lyn nodded and took a bite.

"It's…quite good…" She muttered, with her mouth full and took a second bite, followed by another. In a matter of seconds, she had stuffed the whole bun into her mouth. "In fact, it's really good…" She said, her mouth full.

Ren stared at her, an eyebrow raised in shock. "That was what we call a Da Bao…a big bun…and you just stuffed the whole thing in your mouth? You seriously remind me of those two idiots, Yoh and Horo Horo. Why were you skeptical about it anyway? Didn't your mum ever make Chinese buns for you?"

Lyn grinned sheepishly. "Ahaha. She never cooked any Chinese food." She said, taking a second bun from the packet.

Ren stared at Lyn, happily eating her buns for awhile, then made up his mind to ask her about _his_ true identity.

"Is he…the one who murdered your parents…is he your brother?" Ren asked uncertainly, wishing fervently that her answer would not be what he thought it was.

Lyn opened her mouth to answer, but Ren shook his head. "Swallow what's in your mouth first. It's rude to talk with your mouth open…"

Lyn nodded obediently and swallowed her food, then grinned. "Wow…you actually figured that out…observant aren't we? Yes. _He_ is my brother. My brother never died. I lied."

"And your hand?" Ren asked concernedly. Lyn laughed weakly, and when she spoke, her voice sounded shaky. "A new ability of his. He can pull me into a place of his liking in the dream world, and what happens to a living creature there, happens for real."

**Wahaha. This started as a random filler chapter, but looks like it ended up less random then expected yea? It's still humorous and all, but there was at least that one important revelation. So, did you guys expect that already?**


	13. Chapter 13: Hope

**Heys! Thanks to all my reviewers! And thanks to Valinor's Twilight for pointing out my mistake. I've corrected it! Haha snow-angel-anna has also updated, so check it out! Haha here's chapter 13!**

**Chapter 13- Hope**

As soon as the bell rang, Lyn grabbed Heartblade and stood up, walking towards the class doors. "Hey Lyn…aren't you going to the movies with us? We're supposed to meet Hao and the rest at the front gate, remember?" Kaede asked Lyn, wondering if Lyn had forgotten.

"Umm…something came up…You guys go ahead without me…I've got something on…" Lyn muttered apologetically before dashing out of the class. Kaede stared at her disappearing back in bewilderment. Just the day before, she had been so excited about the movie they were going to watch.

"Where's Lyn going in such a hurry? I thought we were all going to catch a movie?" Ren asked, walking towards Kaede, keeping a light grip on Kwan Dao. Kaede shrugged, still bewildered by Lyn's behaviour, then turned to Ren. "Does that mean you're not joining us either?"

"Of course I am…that Lyn isn't coming doesn't change anything! I'm not some lovesick dolt." Ren sputtered in denial, although his face was lightly flushed.

"Well, I thought you would be worried about her or something. But since you're still joining us, lets go meet Hao and the rest now…" Kaede said, walking out of class. Ren hesitated for a second before following. _It's not that I'm not worried…_

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Lyn breathed heavily, Heartblade clanking in its scabbard as she ran towards her destination. She had heard a group of girls talking about a young man with blonde hair who had been shouting and threatening to beat up two elderly women who had apparently been unable to provide him with information that he wanted.

Blonde hair, with a bad temper. Lyn vaguely remembered someone similar amongst _his_ companions, or rather, followers. She might be overly suspicious, but it was better to be sure. And if she was right, she could guess where their hideout was. Of course, it might be a trap, but it wasn't like she had any choice.

Just because her parents were dead didn't mean she would give up on her mission. Nothing she did would ever bring them back, so she might as well devote her effort to saving other innocent lives. She would fight _him_, even though he was her brother.

_My brother died the day he killed our parents,_

_For that was the day he turned his back on his own family._

_If he could murder his own parents in cold blood,_

_Then all hope is lost_

_So I must treat him as a stranger,_

_And treat my brother as dead._

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Ren shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He just couldn't shake off that ominous feeling that had nagged at him since Lyn had run off alone.

"Hey! Stop moving around down there!" One of the audience called from the back. Ren slumped down into his seat, muttering curses.

"What's been eating you, dude? You've been really distracted since we got in…is the movie too gory for you?" Horo Horo whispered worriedly from the seat to his right.

Ren shrugged, feigning nonchalance. _Lyn can take care of herself…right?_ Ren desperately tried to convince himself that nothing was wrong.

_I should never have let her go off on her own…_

"I'm getting out of here…" Ren muttered, gripping Kwan Dao tightly. "Wha-?" Horo Horo stared as Ren squeezed his way out the row of seats, his mouth gaping.

When Ren exited the cinema, he took a deep breath and looked around. He realised that he had absolutely no idea where Lyn had gone.

But he couldn't bring himself to go back into the cinema and watch the movie as if nothing had happened. If there was even the slightest chance of finding Lyn, he would take it.

Then, Ren did something which he had never done before. He closed his eyes, and let his heart lead his legs.

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"What's a kid like you doing around here anyway?" The man sneered, examining Lyn from head to toe. "Just get out of my way…I need to see Shinn…" Lyn growled, trying to walk past them.

"Who the heck are you to address Master Shinn so rudely?" The man growled, pushing her back forcefully.

"Get out of my way right now, or you will _pay_…" Lyn threatened, drawing Heartblade from its scabbard. "Oh? The kitten has claws?" The man mocked Lyn, snickering.

"People like you…who only know how to depend on another for power. People like you make me sick!" Lyn shouted, charging towards the man, sword at the ready.

"For insulting Master Shinn, you will pay dearly!" The man shouted, calling his guardian spirit out and performing an oversoul.

Lyn barely faltered as a huge serpent appeared in front of her. It was a muddy brown in colour, and had a gleam in its eye to match its Master's, and as it swept its tail towards her, it hissed dangerously.

Lyn did not allow herself to falter, but she didn't perform an oversoul. She would need all her strength against her brother's closest followers once she broke into their hideout, and that meant that she could not afford to waste it on someone as weak as the man standing before her.

Lyn jumped over the serpent's tail as it swept towards her, and continued dashing towards the man. She ran behind him and hit his head with the butt of her sword.

The man slumped to the ground in a faint, and the serpent shimmered for awhile before disappearing. Lyn sheathed Heartblade back into its scabbard and walked entered the dark building, the darkness swallowing her.

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"Well…look who has come to visit…" The blonde haired young man said, smiling smugly. "Don't act as if you weren't expecting me, Yuudai…this was a trap you built specially for me. Where the hell is that bastard Shinn?" Lyn growled, feeling her patience draining with every passing second.

"My…such harsh words for your darling brother. He would be hurt." Yuudai said, jumping down lightly from the stack of boxes he had been sitting on. "Cut the crap…where the hell is he?" Lyn shouted, putting a hand on Heartblade's hilt, ready to draw it at any moment.

"Looks like you are serious this time…don't you consider him your brother anymore?" Yuudai asked, smirking.

"My brother died the day he killed our parents! Now, all that's left is Shinn, my enemy! I have to end his life before he kills anymore innocent people!" Lyn said determinedly, gripping Heartblade so hard the engravings on the hilt dug into her hand.

"Unfortunately, Shinn is unavailable at the moment. But don't worry, he makes house calls. He'll probably drop by to visit you one day…And he will be sure to deliver death to some of those buddies of yours…" Yuudai said, a wicked grin on his face.

Lyn drew her sword with slightly unsteady hands. "You…had better not lay a hand on my friends! If so much as a hair on their head is harmed…I swear I will…"

"You will do what?" Before Lyn could finish her threat, she felt a cold voice cut in from behind. She saw Yuudai bow his head in respect and she knew who it was before she even turned her head.

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Ren ran with his eyes closed, then stopped when he felt a presence in front of him. His grip on Kwan Dao tightened and when he opened his eyes, he saw a large 2-storey building before him. Was Lyn in the building? Ren looked around, and noticed a man lying on the floor, knocked out.

Ren decided to trust his heart and he ran into the building, praying that Lyn was in there, safe and sound.

He ran along the hallways, all senses on the alert, and paused when he heard the sounds of fighting. He ran towards the sounds and entered the room where the sounds originated from, only to emerge to a intense battle between Lyn and her brother.

Lyn was struggling to keep up with her brother, while _he_ wasn't even breaking a sweat. _He_ wasn't even bothering to block or dodge some of her attacks, and yet, where Lyn's oversoul hit him, he was left unscathed.

Lyn was panting from both the exertion and the numerous injuries she had sustained. Blood was flowing freely from most of them, weakening Lyn considerably.

Then, Ren noticed another man standing and watching the battle with a smile. The man ran a hand through his short blonde hair, and whistled when he noticed Ren. "Shinn…You might want to end that soon…I see an opponent you are even more interested in…"

Shinn cast a glance and smirked when he saw Ren. He sent Lyn flying with a slash of his sword, and turned to Ren, grinning in anticipation.

"And I thought that I would have to look for you…to think you delivered yourself to me…you're digging your own grave…" Shinn smirked, and sheathed his sword.

Ren gritted his teeth and clenched his hand around Kwan Dao's handle. Shinn dared to mock him? Treat him as a small fry who could be defeated bare-handed? Well, he was going to make Shinn regret underestimating him.

Ren cast a glance at Lyn, who was just getting up from the floor. She attempted to run towards Ren and Shinn, but was stopped by the blonde man, who held a sword to her throat and forced her to stand there, watching helplessly.

That Shinn could do something like that to his own sister. To Lyn. Ren would not let him off. Ren readied himself for battle and went into his starting stance, spear at the ready

"Bason in Kwan Dao!"

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Lyn watched the scene before her in desperation. She struggled but to no avail. Yuudai had put down his sword long ago, but he had made a barrier to hold her in place using his furyoku.

Ren was using all the attacks in his arsenal against Shinn, but had been unable to land a single successful hit on him. Shinn was serious about wanting to harm Ren. Much as Lyn hated to admit it, Shinn had gone easy on her in their battle earlier.

Why he had gone easy on her, Lyn didn't know. Who could tell what he was thinking or why he did certain things these days?

Suddenly, Lyn noticed something slip from under his shirt. She squinted at it, and her eyes widened in shock when she saw what it was.

It was a necklace with a dark blue stone on it. The stone was surrounded by a harsh dark glow which seemed to have a life of its own. That he was still wearing the necklace…maybe there was still a chance he could be stopped without fighting him…

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Ren jumped backwards to dodge an attack from Shinn. None of his attacks had even left a scratch on Shinn. Ren was getting ready for another attack when Shinn rushed towards him and knocked Kwan Dao out of his hands, then slashed with his sword, sending Ren flying back.

Ren kept his mouth shut, resisting the urge to gasp in pain when his body slammed against the wall. He sunk to the ground and felt his head spinning, his vision blurred. He blinked in an attempt to focus his eyes, and saw Shinn walking towards him menacingly.

Ren looked around for Kwan Dao, but it was beyond his reach. Ren drew Thunder sword from his belt and lengthened it to its full length.

"Bason in Thunder sword!

Ren jumped away from Shinn, and raised Thunder sword above his head before bringing it down with a shout. "Sea of Blades!"

Ren smirked when hundreds of swords, spears, tridents and halberds shot out from the ground. It was impossible that this attack had missed. This was his ultimate attack, and it had been strengthened when he had become Shaman King and gained the strength of the Great Spirits.

Ren's eyes widened in horror as the blades disappeared and he saw Shinn standing at the centre of where the attack had been, unscathed.

"Oh Lyn…I forgot to mention…I have another new ability, that is, immunity to oversoul attacks." Shinn said, grinning wickedly at the looks of shock on both Lyn's and Ren's faces.

Shinn yawned, bored. "Well, I will let the two of you off today, since I'm in a good mood. Besides, you two are good entertainment when I'm bored…" He said, smirking.

"Oh and I trust you don't need another lesson in your dreams? If I feel you need another reminder, I will be much harsher on the punishment you get this time around." Shinn said, looking at Lyn with a sneer before walking out of the room, throwing a roll of bandages behind him.

Yuudai gave them an evil grin. "You should never have pitted yourself against Shinn…" He told Lyn with a laugh before running after Shinn.

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Lyn dropped to her knees with a gasp when the barrier around her was suddenly released. She towards Ren weakly, her body wracked with pain from her many injuries. But she couldn't care less. She grabbed the roll of bandages and sat cross-legged next to Ren.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Ren asked when Lyn leaned towards him, bandage in hand. "Your head is bleeding…" She murmured, wrapping the bandage around his head gently. Ren took her hand by the wrist just as she was tying the finishing knot.

"Does it hurt?" He asked, his golden eyes flooded with concern. She shook her head sadly. "No. my wounds don't hurt at all…"

Ren shook his head, pulling Lyn towards his chest. "I meant your heart…it must hurt, having to fight your own brother like that…" He said, stroking her hair gently.

"I'm fine…" Lyn replied, pushing him away half-heartedly. She stood on unsteady legs and smiled weakly at him. "Well, let's go…"

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The moment they got back to the En Inn, Lyn ran up the stairs to her room, leaving Ren to face Yoh and the rest on his own.

"What the hell happened?" Hao asked, looking at him concernedly. Ren shrugged and was about to walk away without giving them an answer, but when he saw the look the were giving him, he sat down with a sigh.

"Lyn went to find her brother, and there was a fight…" Before Ren could continue, he was interrupted by Kaede. "Brother? Lyn never told me she had a brother…" Yoh nodded in agreement. "I think you've lost us, Ren…"

Ren growled impatiently. He had forgotten that they were unaware of Lyn's brother. "The one who killed Lyn's parents…was her brother…"

Kaede gasped, and Yoh, Horo Horo and Hao stared at him in shock. Even Anna's eyes had widened slightly. "That sucks…" Yoh whispered.

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Lyn closed the door behind her and dashed towards her backpack. She hadn't unpacked her belongings she had taken from her house back in Kyoto, but she was positive it was inside her bag.

She dug through all her items until she found what she was looking for. It was a necklace, similar to the one Shinn had been wearing except it was light blue in colour, so light that it was nearly colourless, and it was surrounded by a soft gold glow instead of the harsh dark one.

The two necklaces had been given to Shinn and herself from their parents on her fifth Christmas. The two stones would pull towards each other when they were close together, and their parents had told them that the stones would signify the closeness Shinn and herself shared as siblings.

The fact that he was still wearing his necklace, meant that there was still hope for him.

_Hope…_


	14. Chapter 14:Renewed Resolutions

**Heys! Haha things have been really hectic for many of us, I know. Haha I'm gonna be joining NaNoWriMo, but no worries! I will still be updating! Thanks to all my reviewers. To all the Nano-ers out there, let's work hard together! Gambate yo! On with chapter 14! (Sigh I still like fight scenes the best… . ) Oh and any grammatical errors made in Lyn's flashbacks are intentional.**

**Chapter 14- Renewed Resolution**

Lyn lay on her bed, staring at the necklace dangling from her hand. She remembered her parents' exact words when they had given Shinn and herself the necklace.

'_As siblings, the two of you must be united. One day, the two of us must leave this world. Then, the two of you will have to look after each other, and support one another.'_

'_The two stones have a special quality. When they are a certain distance apart from each other, and the distance is not too great, then the stones will pull towards each other, give the string a tug. That way, the two of you will always know if the other is close.'_

'_Also, the stone will pull more urgently if the other is in danger. Thus, that way, you will always know the status of the other, as long as you aren't too far apart.'_

'_However, the stones signify much more than just unity between siblings. Shinn's stone is dark blue, whereas Lyn's is light blue. It signifies how different the two of you are in personality, and yet how alike you can be at the same time.'_

'_These stones, your mother and I made together for the two of you and for no one else. These stones will protect you from life-threatening danger, and they will glow, Shinn's with a dark glow, and Lyn's with a light glow. However, both will glow with a warm and gentle light. That is how our love for the two of you is. Warm and gentle.'_

Lyn snorted at the irony of the situation. The glow surrounding the stones was supposed to be a gentle and soothing glow. But Shinn's stone had been glowing with a harsh light.

She had worn the stone even after Shinn had left. She had never given up on the hope that Shinn would stop doing all the wrong things for the wrong reason.

But that hope had been destroyed the day Shinn killed one of her uncles. After that incident, their extended family had begun shunning them for fear of their own lives. After that incident, her father had begun fighting Shinn.

As Lyn had only been eleven then, she did not fully comprehend what had just happened or what it meant. But as the years passed, she slowly understood. When she was thirteen, she asked her father if she could be the one to stop Shinn. She did not want to give up on him.

But no matter how Lyn pleaded with him not to continue his mistakes, Shinn still continued killing innocent lives. Just after Lyn's fourteenth birthday, she heard of the shaman fight and she decided to join to grow stronger.

Lyn had left the necklace behind. She did not want to hang on to it anymore. Moreover, she had thought that her brother would probably have discarded the necklace, so she no longer saw the point in wearing it.

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Lyn snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" She called, sitting up. She blinked in surprise when Ren walked in.

Ren sat down next to her on the edge of her bed, and then looked at the necklace she was holding curiously. "What's that?"

"It's a necklace from my parents for both my brother and me that's supposed to signify our bond as siblings…" Lyn told Ren slowly, unsure of how much she should tell him.

"So why'd you suddenly decide to take it out?" Ren asked, his concern showed in his voice. "I saw that my brother was wearing his when you were fighting with him earlier today…" Ren nodded in understanding at her reply. "So you think that there might be a chance to end this without having to fight him?" He asked, and Lyn nodded slowly.

Lyn sat further back into the bed so she was leaning against the wall, and she slowly sorted out her thoughts. Her brother had changed so much. But she knew that deep inside her heart, she wanted to believe that the old him still existed, and it was just buried deep within the confines of his soul.

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**Flashback:**

"_Come on kiddo! It's not like you to give up so easily…keep fighting till the end…that's your motto, remember?" Kenshin called down at Lyn, who was struggling to keep up with him on the steep mountain path._

"_Honey…give her a break…she's only four!" Tsukiko reprimanded her husband from where she was standing next to him. "No mummy! Daddy's right! Lyn have to do this. For herself! Lyn won't give up!" Lyn called, and continued her hike determinedly._

_Just when Lyn had covered roughly half the distance to her parents, she slipped on a stone and fell backwards. Lyn panicked and began waving her arms, trying to regain her balance, and then she felt a pair of strong hands catch her from behind. Her brother, Shinn, had caught her just in time._

_Shinn pushed her back onto the path, laughing. "Silly girl…be careful next time yea?" Lyn looked at him seriously, her eyes wide. "Yea! Thanks Shinn. If you never catch me, Lyn go rolling down…and down is a long way…"_

_Shinn looked at Lyn in surprise, then began laughing amusedly at her innocence and her honesty. Lyn stared at him, mystified by his behaviour._

**End flashback.**

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**Flashback:**

"_Give Lyn's teddy back to Lyn!" Lyn cried as she chased the bullies who had snatched her teddy bear from her down the street. She took a banana peel from the rubbish pile as she ran past a bin and threw it towards the bullies._

_The biggest of the three bullies slipped on the banana peel and fell on his bottom painfully, and the other two stopped running to help him up. Lyn caught up with them, laughing. "Hah! See? You can't run away from Lyn. Now give Lyn's teddy back!" She demanded, one hand on her hip as she held the other out for the teddy bear._

_The next thing she knew, she felt a harsh slap on her face and she put a hand to her stinging cheek, her eyes wide open in shock. She looked up slowly and saw an intimidating woman staring down at her, eyes bulging with rage._

"_How could you do that to my son?! I will inform your mother about this incident." Lyn stared up at the woman indignantly and stood on tip-toe so that she was closer to the woman._

"_He took Lyn's teddy bear!" She cried, staring the woman in her eye. The woman's face contorted further with rage, making her look like a toad. "You disrespectful child!" The woman spat, saliva flying onto Lyn's face. Lyn wiped the liquid off disgustedly, making a face. "Ladee! Don't spit on Lyn's face!"_

_The woman stared at Lyn, her head steaming with rage. She raised her hand, preparing to deliver another slap to Lyn's cheek. Her hand whizzed down towards Lyn's cheek, but a strong grip caught her hand by the wrist before she could hit Lyn._

"_What kind of example are you setting for your son, hitting a young girl like that?" Shinn demanded coldly. The woman sputtered with rage, at a loss for words. "You…didn't your mother teach you any manners? Didn't she teach you to respect your elders? Your mother must be extremely flighty for her to raise such rude children."_

_Shinn clenched his fists in irritation. "Don't insult my mother…" The woman smirked at him, a look of superiority on her face. "Well, it is true, isn't it?"_

"_At least she taught us to be kind to others and never to take things which belong to other people without any permission. That has to be much better than what I see your son doing. You must steal often, for your son to think it is alright to steal." He retorted calmly._

_The woman glared at him, enraged. "We…well, my son did nothing wrong!" Shinn raised his eyebrows in amusement at the woman's lame reply._

"_He stole Lyn's teddy bear. If that isn't wrong, I don't know what is." Shinn said, smiling casually._

"_My son just took it to have a look at it. He was planning to give it back! So it wasn't stealing!" The woman argued indignantly._

"_Once you take something without asking the rightful owner, it is considered stealing, whether or not you had the intention to give it back. Moreover, your son snatched it from my sister. That is definitely stealing." Shinn replied._

"_You…you rude child! Show respect to me! I'm your elder!" The woman sputtered lamely. "I only show respect to those whom I think deserve it. Now, could you just get your son to return the teddy bear like he INTENDED to so we can go home?" Shinn demanded, taking Lyn's tiny palm in his bigger one._

**End flashback.**

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"What are you thinking about?" Lyn was startled and blinked in surprise to see Ren's worried face close to hers. She flushed and looked away quickly. "Yea…I was just thinking about the past…about how different my brother was…"

Ren nodded slowly. "I think I can understand, but I can never truly know what you are going through unless you share your problems with me…" Lyn looked at him and bit her lip uncertainly.

"I want to share my life with you, and I hope to be included in your life. Not just the happy moments, but the sad times too…" Ren said seriously, his eyes filled with honesty. Lyn stared into his eyes for a while, and felt the urge to share her life with him.

"I was just wondering…where the brother who would protect me…catch me when I fall…stand up for me…and comfort me…I was just wondering where he had gone and why he left…" Lyn said somberly, raising her eyes to the ceiling.

"You will be able to bring him back. I believe in you." Ren replied simply. Lyn looked at him, her eyes filled with doubt and he smiled encouragingly at her.

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Ren stared into Lyn's eyes, all her emotions showing clearly in them and he found himself thinking that he was looking into the most beautiful eyes in the world. In fact, just looking at her, knowing how strong yet fragile she was, he felt like he had the most precious thing in the world in front of him.

Maybe other people would find her hair too short, or her behaviour too violent. But Ren found himself taking more and more notice of her everyday. To others, she might be as flawed as anyone could be, but to him, she was the most perfect person.

Ren had never believed that he would feel this way about anyone. If you had told him a few months ago that he would love someone so deeply, he would have snorted in disbelief. But now, he found it hard to imagine how life without Lyn would be.

He wanted to know her better, even if it took him a million lifetimes. And in each and every lifetime, he wanted to fall in love with her again. He could not imagine it any other way.

He leant towards her hesitantly, and she blinked in surprise before realising his intention. She flushed but showed no sign of stopping him.

He leant further towards her and captured her lips with his, his lips gently caressing hers, his eyes closed. It felt so right loving her, and Ren realised at that moment that he would never be able to escape that feeling. But he liked it that way.

They finally pulled away from each other after what seemed like an eternity, and they stared at each other in silence, each flushing lightly.

"I…I will not give up on what I have decided! And I have decided to end this without any more deaths!" Lyn said determinedly, her eyes shining with a new light of determination.

Ren nodded in approval and smiled encouragingly at Lyn. Lyn saw a silent strength in his eyes, along with the pulsing of love, and she understood why she always felt safe in his arms.

She loved him too…

They leaned towards each other again, and there was lesser hesitation this time before their lips met again.

_It feels so right, to be in your arms.  
__My lips against yours, gently caressing.  
__This feeling, I will never be able to escape from.  
__But that is the way I want it, and that's how I like it._

**SWEET! I can't believe I just wrote that…what do you think? Fluffy enough? Haha I think I don't mind fluff so much anymore…hee.**


	15. Chapter 15:Painful Decisions

**Damn…Nano is tiring…haha but it's fun too! Anyway, recently somebody raised that snow-angel-anna and my story are quite alike, like the parents' death and all. Well yea we planned that. We both wanted to kill the parents, so we decided to do it in the same chapter and post together. And for chapter 10, both were named after flowers. Well, the only reason why I named it after a flower was because the meaning of the flower, namely 'joy to come' was perfect for the chapter since that was the promise Hao made to Kaede. So yea. I'm not copying her idea, neither is she copying mine. I guess we just think too alike at times. Scary. We can end up saying the same thing at the same time. Hee. On with the story! snow-angel-anna has updated already, and its her last chapter, so check it out. I think mine will be around 20 chapters in all.**

**Chapter 15- Painful Decisions**

Lyzerg wrapped the last of his presents for Yoh and the rest and stacked it up with the rest, before leaning back and stretching. He was done with the presents, so he was ready for the Christmas Eve party they were having that night.

Yoh had suggested a get together at Christmas, and eager to meet each other again, they had all agreed. Lyzerg had arrived in Funbari about a week ago, and throughout the week, the rest had slowly joined them. Jun had stayed in China to celebrate Christmas with her family, and Choco Love had only arrived the day before, quite thankfully.

Lyzerg grinned a little at the thought. He had been surprised when he had met the two girls who had fought against Yoh and Ren in the finals, and even more so to find out that they had actually been staying at the En Inn for the past two months.

But that hadn't been the biggest surprise. They had all been amazed at how much Hao and Ren had changed. Hao was no longer so flighty, having found someone he could care for, namely Kaede. Hao admitted that change in himself, and had even told them he liked it.

Ren on the other hand, desperately fought to deny the fact that he had softened, even if it were just for that one single person.

In the week since Lyzerg had arrived had Funbari, he had gotten to know both Lyn and Kaede better, and he understood how two seemingly normal girls had touched the hearts of the last two people on earth he had expected to love another.

Kaede was quiet, but she had a kind heart, and she wasn't afraid to show concern for her friends around her. She was also friendly, and very caring, especially towards young children.

Lyn had struck him as immature at first, and he had wondered what had made Ren fall for her. But after talking to her for awhile, he had realised that she was actually quite mature, and it was just that she chose to look at things in a more light-hearted way. She was alike to Yoh and Horo Horo in that way.

Lyzerg stood up and Morphine flew over to his shoulder. He smiled at her and left the room, walking towards the dining room, wondering if Yoh was the one preparing breakfast. He hoped that Anna had decided to let Yoh off since it was Christmas Eve. He had to admit…Yoh's cooking was pretty…unique.

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"Aww…Anna can we please? Lyn will be so happy…" Yoh begged Anna, who rolled her eyes in annoyance. Since Ren had asked her if she would allow a certain something into the house as Lyn's Christmas present, Yoh had been bugging her about it.

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea though. As long as she didn't end up looking after it. Anna nodded reluctantly, wondering if she was going to regret her decision. Yoh whooped and slapped Ren on the back with a grin. Ren glared at Yoh, but left it at that although he looked like he was trying to suppress a smile.

"I'll go and collect it after breakfast…" Ren muttered, and Yoh began asking to go along too. Ren ignored him, staring at the food on the table. Anna had decided to give Yoh a break, and she had prepared a big breakfast for all of them since it was Christmas Eve.

"I'll bring it for walks, I'll feed it, I'll take good care of it!" Yoh exclaimed, grinning excitedly. "It's Lyn's…not yours…unless your name happens to be Lyn?" Anna reminded Yoh sarcastically.

Yoh stopped and nodded with a disappointed frown, then went back to asking Ren whether he could go along to collect Lyn's present with him. Ren growled and nodded slowly with an exasperated sigh.

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Ren clenched his fists in irritation at Choco Love's lame jokes. Those stupid jokes were driving him crazy. He wished he had brought Kwan Dao down with him. One more lame joke and he swore he would kill him. Suddenly, the shrill ring of the phone broke through the sounds of laughter.

"Phone!" Horo Horo called, and Yoh jumped up from where he was sitting on the floor and ran into the inn to answer the phone.

Choco Love blinked for awhile, as if he was thinking, then smacked his right fist on his left palm as if he had gotten an idea. 'Not another lame joke…' Ren muttered under his breath. "Phone made of Bones!" Choco Love exclaimed, looking around at everyone and sighing in disappointment when he saw that no one was laughing.

"ARGH!" Ren growled, and he poked Choco Love in the nose with the sharpest thing at hand-his tongari. It was an action born from desperation, and Ren knew he would regret it the moment he saw the expression on Choco Love's face.

"Attack of the killer tongari!" Choco Love cried, looking around with a contented smile on his face when everyone began laughing. Of course, they were laughing at Ren's expression, and not because he had made a funny joke.

Ren clenched his fists and punched Choco Love on the head before stalking off, leaving Choco Love lying dazed on the ground. "I think I see stars…" Choco Love muttered dreamily.

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"Kaede?" Hao called softly, walking towards the bench on which Kaede was seated. She turned around and smiled gently when she saw him.

"What are you doing here on your own?" Hao asked her concernedly as he sat down next to her. He peered into her eyes curiously when there was no answer.

Kaede shook her head, flushing slightly. "I was just thinking of how much has happened this year…Why I was made to meet you…" She murmured thoughtfully, her eyes distant.

"So that we could fall in love?" Hao asked with a grin. She looked at him in surprise and he smiled. "Why not?" He asked, shrugging and putting an arm around her shoulder.

Kaede stared at him in silence for awhile, then leant comfortably into his touch. She felt Hao shift around, looking for something. He took out a small wrapped box and handed it to her. "Merry Christmas…" He told her with a smile.

"Thank you…" Kaede said, putting the gift to one side and as she sat up and reached for her present to him, which she had placed under the bench. "And merry Christmas to you too." She said, handing his gaily wrapped box to him with a smile.

Hao raised his eyebrows in surprise, smiling pleasantly. "I didn't expect you to get me anything. Any clue as to what it is?" He asked, grinning. "Open it…I hope you like it…" Kaede muttered, a slight flush on her face.

Hao carefully opened the box, and was pleasantly surprised by what was inside. There was a card, carefully drawn out by Kaede herself, and there was a carefully knitted red scarf.

"So this is what you've been busy with the past few days?" Hao asked curiously. Kaede nodded slowly and grinned nervously. "I love it…Even more so because _you_ were the one who made it…" Hao told her, stroking her hair.

Kaede nodded happily, and leaned back into Hao's arms. She took the gift from Hao and turned it over, examining it and wondering what was inside.

"Open it…" Hao told her. She looked at Hao uncertainly, and he urged her to open it again. She carefully unwrapped it and gasped at what she saw.

Inside the carefully wrapped box, was a pair of crystal swans, their necks entwined in a heart.

Kaede took the note from the side of the box and read it, tears flooding her eyes at the words so carefully written.

_Hey…It's been quite a year, hasn't it? I think the best thing that happened to me was meeting you._

_I'm sorry for hurting you at first, giving you the cold shoulder. I should have realised from the start how important you were to me._

_The swans…are bound by love. That is how I feel right now. I am bound to you by my love for you. That you have entered my life, is the greatest thing that has ever and ever will happen to me. You let me see a part of me I thought never existed. The part of me which can love a single person with my whole heart, my entire being, my soul. And that single person is you._

_Thank you for having let me fall in love with you._

_Merry Christmas._

_Your Fiancé,_

_Asakura Hao._

Hao tenderly raised a finger to Kaede's eyes and wiped her tears away. "Don't cry…did I say something wrong in there?" He asked concernedly. She shook her head quickly. "It wasn't that you said something wrong…Thank you…" She whispered, smiling through her tears of joy.

Hao leaned in towards her slowly, and she blinked back tears, closing her eyes. She smiled when she felt the gentle pressure of his lips against hers. His tongue ghosted over her lips, and she opened her mouth at his request.

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Ren sat under the bare tree near the garden pond, staring up at the night sky thoughtfully. He wanted to give Lyn her present, but he had been unable to find her.

Just then, he heard the crunching of shoes against the frozen ground, and he turned around to see Lyn, who was holding her hands behind her back. He noticed that she was wearing the necklace her parents had given to her.

"You're going to freeze your butt off that way, you know?" She commented with a grin, but sat down next to him despite her earlier comment. She found the ground surprisingly warm, and saw that Ren had laid his coat on the ground.

Ren looked at Lyn nervously, uncertain of how to give her present to her. Little did he know that the exact same thought was passing through Lyn's mind.

Lyn decided that a direct approach was the easiest, so she took her hands out from behind her back and gently whacked Ren's head with the box she was holding. Ren looked at her questioningly and she flushed, trying to pretend that it was because of the cold.

"Open it…" She told him, grinning mischievously. Ren raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was up to, and proceeded to unwrap the box.

When all the wrapping paper had been removed, Ren lifted the cover of the box and peered into it. Inside, he saw another box. He looked at it in bewilderment. This was probably one of Lyn's pranks.

He lifted the cover of the second box, and found a third box lying inside. By now, he was certain that Lyn was just being her usual mischievous self. He opened the third box, and as expected, there was a fourth box.

Ren sighed, smiling amusedly at Lyn's silliness. He opened the fourth box, and the fifth box inside, expecting to find a sixth box. Instead, there was an assortment of items inside the fifth box.

There was a note, a few sheets of paper and a keychain. Ren took out the note and read it, smiling in amusement.

_Hey! You're smiling aren't you? I can just picture what your smile is like right now when I'm writing this note._

_Thanks for comforting me when I was down about my parents' death. And also when I was having mixed feelings about my brother._

_I remember our first fight. The shaman fight, that is. Back then, you struck me as an arrogant person, who was overconfident of your own abilities. You also struck me as a self-centered person, capable only of caring about yourself._

_But I was proved wrong that very night. I sprained my ankle, and there you were, showing concern towards me._

_That look on your face as you looked at the stars. You looked so lost, so confused, so alone. And I knew you weren't as bad as I thought you were._

_One thing I never expected that night, was that I would fall in love with you. Is it the same for you?_

_Needless to say, I'm glad that I met you. You've thought me not to judge people by face value, and you've also thought me that every person, including myself, is capable to love another._

_Cheers and Merry Christmas!_

_Aizawa Lyn_

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Ren carefully put the note back into the box, then took out the sheets of paper. On them, were sketches of him, grinning, smirking, frowning, smiling, shouting and even sleeping.

He looked at Lyn in surprise and she grinned. "I decided to do a sketch of you and your many faces…I thought it would make a meaningful gift." She told him, smiling from ear to ear.

He nodded gratefully, and took out the keychain. It was a figure of someone with a tongari, holding a Kwan Dao, and it was made of bent metal. Ren looked at it in surprise.

"That's supposed to be you!" She told him cheekily. "Thank you…" He said, reaching for his present for her.

Lyn blinked in surprise when Ren handed her a box which had holes punched into it. Then, she heard a scratching sound from inside the box and she realised that the box held a living thing.

Lyn gingerly lifted the cover of the box, and out leapt a tiny Jack Russell, barely seven weeks old. It jumped onto her chest and began slobbering her face with happy, excited licks.

Lyn grinned happily as she lifted the dog from her chest and placed it on her lap. The puppy ran on her lap for awhile, before curling up and promptly falling asleep.

"Thank you so much!" Lyn cried happily, throwing her arms around Ren's neck, though she took care not to wake the puppy.

Ren nearly lost his balance and blushed. "I'm glad you like it…" He told her with a slight smile. She nodded and leaned on his shoulder with a yawn, and he slipped an arm around her shoulder.

Ren couldn't help but yawn too. It had been a long day and they were both tired. Ren felt his eyes closing slowly, and the last thought in his mind before he fell asleep was, "I can't fall asleep…gotta bring Lyn back to her room…"

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Lyn awoke in the middle of the night when she felt her necklace tugging. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and blinked in surprise to find that she had fallen asleep with Ren's arm around her shoulder. She slowly removed his hand and walked in the direction that her necklace was tugging on.

She stopped abruptly when she saw her brother, standing outside the En Inn with a smirk on his face.

"I see you finally decided to wear your necklace again? Well, I just dropped by to wish you a merry Christmas, and to tell you that our final face-off will take place soon, perhaps sometime in late January. Oh and who was that guy? Your boyfriend? He will be the first one I kill."

He disappeared with a flash the moment he finished what he had been saying, leaving Lyn staring at where he had been standing a second ago, her eyes trembling with fear, not for herself, but for Ren.

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Ren walked down the stairs silently, duffel bag in hand. His parents' had asked him to return to China for his birthday. He had been planning to celebrate it with Lyn, but this arrangement suited him too. It had been quite awhile since he had seen his parents anyway.

Ren walked to the door, careful not to make any noise as he slid it open. It was six in the morning, and the rest were probably still sleeping.

"BOO!" Ren got a shock and stumbled forward when he heard someone shout. He turned around to see Lyn, mischievous grin on her face. The puppy ran circles around his leg excitedly.

Ren had not expected Lyn to be awake so early. "Here." He looked up in surprise when she handed him a box. "It's for your birthday. Open it only on your birthday." She told him, grinning.

Ren nodded with a slight smile, casting a worried look at Lyn. She seemed unusually chirpy this morning, as if she was hiding something.

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Lyn slid her room door shut behind her, breathing hard in an attempt to force the tears back. She had made a decision, and she would stick to it no matter how much it hurt.

She walked over to her study table where she had been writing her diary earlier and she read the entry she had made.

_December 27th_

_My heart is shattering, I'm breaking inside.  
__The world seems so dark and I just want to hide.  
__I harden my heart, kick the fragile pieces aside,  
__For I have made my decision and I will not give up._

_I take a firm stand, 'no turning back' I say,  
__For I will protect you, no matter if I pay.  
__No harm will befall you, until I am dead,  
__For I will love you, even to my grave._

**Haha what decision did Lyn make? Well, you'll just have to read on. Hee. Hope you liked it. First part was pretty random, I know. Sorry about that. I just couldn't resist the 'attack of the killer tongari' part. I came up with the idea when I was having a mock fight with snow-angel-anna. We were blurting out Chinese martial arts moves, and it just burst out of my mouth. We nearly died laughing.**


	16. Chapter 16: Birthday

**Forgive me if this chapter isn't very good. I was having a major writer's block. Woo! snow-angel-anna has started her sequel to Miracles, and the title of the sequel is 'wanderlust'. It's really interesting! Check it out yea? Hee on with the chapter. Countdown: 4 more chapters to go!**

**Chapter 16- Birthday**

She was what most guys would describe as stunning. Her raven black hair shifted whenever a slight breeze blew through the room, and it looked purple where the morning sun cast its light.

Her eyes were a soft lilac colour which made you feel like you were looking in a field of lilac flowers, and her puckered lips were full, making them look soft and inviting. Especially now since she was pouting.

Her body was curved in all the right areas, and those curves were further emphasized by the tight cheongsam she was wearing, similar to the black one Jun always wore, except it was sewed from silk thread as golden as the sun rays.

Most guys would be staring at her in awe, practically drooling by now. Tao Ren however, stared at her from the opposite end of the banquet table, his eyes a mixture of suspicion and disbelief.

The girl wrinkled her eyebrows at him in a disgusted fashion when she thought no one was looking, then quickly plastered her angelic smile back on her face whenever Ren's parents turned to her. Ren's left eye was twitching dangerously by now.

"What the hell is this?!" Ren exploded suddenly, standing up and slamming his palms down onto the banquet table. Tao En looked at him in surprise, smiling warmly at the girl who put on a show of being frightened by Ren's sudden behaviour.

"Why Ren…this is your fiancée!" En told him, turning so only Ren could see his face. The message, 'you had better behave yourself here…no more stunts…' was written clearly on his face.

"My fiancée?! Don't I have any say in this?!" Ren shouted in frustration. If Lyn found out about this, she would probably be quite upset.

"Ren! Stop being so fierce! You're scaring her." Ran told him curtly, then turned to the girl and began whispering soothing words in her ear. Ren saw that the girl had widened her eyes in mock fear, and had even gone to the expense of making her body tremble to add to the fearful image.

Ren snorted in disgust. He was scaring her? Were his parents blind? Ren sat back down, seething, his eyes flashing with rage. Jun patted him on the shoulder, whispering for him to calm down. But Ren could not calm himself.

"I don't even know her name!" Ren exclaimed, trying to emphasize his point that this match was not a good one. "That can be solved easily…Ren, this is your fiancée, Liao Hui."

Ren muttered a string of curses under his breath. "The whole point is, I don't even like her! There's someone else I…" En held a hand up for silence, cutting Ren off mid-sentence.

"We picked her for you because she is from a reputable Chinese shaman family, which has a large expanse of financial resources as well. Besides, she is quite the beauty, isn't she? Only someone as capable as her is deserving enough to marry into the Tao family."

Ren snorted again, earning him a death glare from En. Capable? He had yet to see any of that. From what he had seen so far, she was just a stupid attention-seeking bimbo, and a bitch to boot.

It was the first day of the new year, meaning it was not only the new year, but it was Ren's birthday too. He pictured the party Yoh and the rest had probably held to usher in the new year, and he smiled a little when the image of Lyn cheering came to mind.

He had missed all that so he could spend his birthday with his family, and he had expected his birthday celebration to be a happy one. This, was far from what he had expected.

Ren grabbed a bottle of milk from the centre of the table, wrenching the cap off and gulping the contents down in an attempt to extinguish the fires of his anger, but his efforts were to no avail.

Ren grabbed a second bottle of milk from the table and opened it, turning away from the table, and most importantly, Hui. When he turned back to the table, En shot him a look which clearly said, 'one more wrong move like that from you, and you're not going to get away with it.'.

"Tell the servants to start serving the food." Ran told their butler, who bowed and walked into the kitchen, clapping his hands shortly to call the servants to order.

The servants filed out and set the dishes at the centre of the table, bowing as they took a step back and filed into the kitchen, a few of the servants remaining to serve them.

Ren stared at the wide spread before him uninterestedly. Normally, these dishes would have set his hunger pangs off, but the incidents of the morning had whet his appetite.

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Ren closed the door behind him, sighing in relief after he had done so. His birthday breakfast had been nothing short of torture.

Throughout the whole meal, Hui had been casting him glares, as if the whole arrangement had been his fault. It wasn't like he had been asking for something like this either.

Of course, the sweet angel had been careful not to let any of the adults see her glares. When they looked at her, she simply gave them her most innocent, winning smile and they would start talking about how perfect she was.

She was a bitch, and that was that. He had to find some way to break off the engagement, and the sooner, the better. He wanted to stalk right up to the study room where his father was probably sitting there and then, but Jun had warned him not to do anything stupid.

Suddenly, Ren heard a knock on his door. He opened it and was surprised to see Pai-Long standing outside.

"Ren. Jun told me to come and keep an eye on you, and make sure you don't do anything stupid while she's talking to your father."

Ren turned around and walked towards his study table, throwing his hands up in the air in exasperation, although he left the door open for Pai-Long.

"She just doesn't trust me, does she? Am I some kid who doesn't know how to think before he acts?" He growled, sitting down on the chair with a light thump.

"You do things without thinking sometimes." Pai-Long commented, walking into the room and closing the door behind him as he did so. Ren shot him a glare, but left it at that. Yea, so he was reckless at times. So what?

"Well, Jun said she would drop by to check on you once she's done talking to your father." Pai-Long told him with a small smile.

So she thought he was some kid who needed to be under a watchful eye all the time, did she? Ren muttered a string of curses, freezing in mid-curse when he realised what Pai-Long had just said.

"She's talking to father? About my engagement?" He asked in disbelief, a wild hope growing within him.

"Yes. She thinks that this should not be the case, since Lyn and you are so happy together." Pai-Long confirmed Ren's suspicions with a nod. A grin slowly spread on Ren's face.

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"But father! Ren truly loves that girl!" Jun told En, her strong feelings easily heard in her voice. En just refused to listen to reason.

"What's her family name?" En asked, and Jun looked at him in surprise. "Aizawa." She replied, wondering why En had asked a question like that.

"There you go. Her family is practically an unknown! I will not have a commoner marrying into the Tao family. She is not worthy." Jun stared at her father in disbelief.

"Does title really mean so much to you, that you would sacrifice your son's happiness for it?" Jun asked, her voice shaking as she lowered her head.

"Yes. The Tao family must uphold its honour, and as the heir, Ren _must _bring honour to the family, even at the cost of his own happiness. The pride of the Tao family must not be forgotten." Jun looked up at her father in disbelief before walking out the door in silence.

_Sorry Ren. I tried my best._

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Hui walked silently down the corridors, looking around at the furnishings with a scornful look. So they were rich, but their sense of fashion was weird! She didn't understand why her father had been so eager to accept the proposal when Tao En had visited them.

Given, that Ren boy was cute. But the way he drank milk. He drank it like one would drink water. It was just so juvenile. And his hair. It was purple! Which normal human had PURPLE hair?

And that tongari was ridiculous. It was only useful for one thing, and that was to complete his clown getup.

His eyes were one of the only things she liked. They were gold, like her dress. And gold bars. Heavy bars of gold. Hui's eyes shone with the thought. She had loved gold, even as a kid.

"I should have known he wouldn't be so easy to convince…" Hui paused when she heard voices coming from a room. She realised that it was Ren's room, and she recognized the voices speaking.

"Please Ren…don't do anything stupid…he is our father after all…" That was Jun, the only one of the Tao family whom she had been unable to win over, excluding Ren.

"Patience, Ren. All in good time." That was Pai-Long, Jun's personal jiang-si. That one was creepy. Who in their right mind would want to be accompanied by a corpse wherever they went? And who in their right mind would willingly follow the one who had killed them in the first place?

"I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning. I'm not going to stay here with _that woman_ a moment longer than necessary." Hui heard Ren growl, 'that woman' being her. She narrowed her eyes in anger.

Then, she heard a rustling sound, like a wrapped parcel being moved. "What's that?" She heard Jun ask curiously.

"It's a present from Lyn. She told me to open it only on my birthday." Ren replied. Hui narrowed her eyes further when she heard a tiny ring of joy in his voice. Who was this Lyn whom Ren spoke of so happily?

Ren was her fiancée, even if she wasn't exactly happy with that fact. That meant that he was _hers_, and no one else could have him! She would destroy his relationship with that Lyn girl through any means necessary. But she would only put her plan in action after seeing what that girl was like.

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Ren opened Lyn's present and was given a punch on the nose from a boxing glove which jumped out. She had attached it to a large spring and pushed it down so that it would act as an actual punch.

"Miss Lyn is so cheeky, master. That's what you like about her, isn't it?" Bason suddenly said, appearing next to him. Ren flushed and hid it with a scowl, grabbing Kwan Dao from the side and cutting Bason into half.

Bason looked at Ren with his puppy-dog eyes, but Ren turned away and ignored him. He heard a giggle, followed by a laugh, and saw Jun laughing at him, her eyes shining with amusement. Even Pai-Long was smiling.

Ren scowled and turned his back to them, turning back to Lyn's present. He noticed that the glove was holding something and he removed it, to find a wooden carving of himself catching a girl who was falling down.

A piece of paper slipped out of from under the carving, and he took it out and read it, a grin spreading across his face.

_Haha! Bet you got hit by the boxing glove! That glove is acting as my fist, just in case you aren't smiling on this special day. It's your birthday! You should be happy, no matter what!_

_Anyway, I had no idea what to get you, so I just carved a random image that came to mind. This is for the many times you've been there to catch me when I'm falling._

_Ouch! Sorry my chair just toppled over. I must have been rocking it too hard._

_Anyway, I'm guessing you've celebrated with your family before opening my present? So how was it? I'll bet you enjoyed yourself. It's been a long time since you saw your parents, and even Jun. She returned to China last month right?_

_I'm sorry I can't be there with you on this special day. And when you come back, I'll be…busy. I hope I can find some time to talk to you. I need to tell you something important._

_Have fun for the rest of your birthday! While little me sits in my room, thinking hard on some decisions I have to make._

_Happy Birthday!_

_Lyn_

_(I hope you liked the birthday punch. Treat that as a combined present from ALL of us back in Funbari.)_

Ren looked at the wooden carving again, and noticed some spots of red, tiny spots, almost unnoticeable. That silly girl had probably cut herself carving this.

Suddenly, a hand reached over his shoulder and whisked the letter and carving away. He turned around and saw Jun, who had started reading the letter. "Aww…Ren's feeling embarrassed!" She teased, laughing.

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Lyn sat at the dining table, eating her meal in silence while Yoh and Horo Horo were acting as comedians. Lyzerg peered up at her face, and she was shaken out of her thoughts.

Lyn blinked in surprise, and Lyzerg looked at her concernedly. "Are you alright?" He asked her worriedly. Lyn nodded and went back to thinking.

She had made her choice. It hurt, but she had no choice. And she would have to come up with a bluff.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and when Yoh went to answer it, Ren walked in, followed by a girl with raven black hair.

"You're back? How was your birthday? Who's this girl?" Yoh asked Ren as he walked towards the dining table, smiling weakly at Lyn.

"Birthday sucked except for one thing. And this girl…" Ren started speaking, a sad look in his eyes when he looked at Lyn.

"I'm his fiancée! The name's Hui!" The girl interrupted him, wrapping her hands around his arm and cuddling up to him.

**That girl is seriously a bitch eh? I feel like killing her man. One minute, she acts as if Ren owes her the world, and the next, she's all sweet and clingly. –shudders- and she's such a bootlicker too! Argh! How will Lyn react to this new development? And what is that decision she made? Read on to find out!**


	17. Chapter 17: Crossroads

**Ahh!!! I was actually supposed to update yesterday, but my com went crazy on me so I'm updating today! Phew the problem is solved…now I can continue with my Nano! Hee. snow-angel-anna has already updated, so check it out!**

**Chapter 17- Crossroads**

Ren's eyes widened in surprise and he stared at Hui suspiciously. On the plane back to Funbari, she had acted as if he had done something to offend her, and now…

He glanced worriedly at Lyn to see her reaction, praying that she would give him a chance to explain. Lyn blinked in surprise, then she scratched her head, saying, "Oh."

Hui smirked when she saw the stunned expression on Lyn's face. That showed her. Ren was _her_ fiancée, and she would not allow anyone else to have him.

Suddenly, she heard someone a snort, followed by laughter. She turned to see a boy with light blue hair laughing so hard he was clutching his sides.

"What a joke! Ren…I never figured you were the type to play these kinda tricks! What a hoot! But who _is_ she…really…" Horo Horo gasped out between laughs.

Ren hesitated for a second, wanting to just deny the whole fiancée thing just so that confused look on Lyn's face would become a smile, but before he could say anything, Lyn spoke up.

"I don't think he's playing a trick. Not for something as serious as this." Lyn muttered with a slight frown. Horo Horo's laughter was silenced immediately, and his eyes darted from Ren to Lyn worriedly.

Lyn noticed his worried look and shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm fine with this…" She told them in a cheerful voice.

In truth, she wasn't alright. She felt a dull ache in her chest with every beat of her heart, and she cursed herself for it. She had already made her choice, and this fiancée of Ren would just make everything simpler.

Lyn turned around and walked out of the dining room, out the front door. This was still too unexpected. She needed some time to think. The park would be a nice place to think.

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There was a silence in the dining room, and everybody stared at Ren expectantly. Hui noticed that they all seemed to want Ren to go after Lyn, and her eyes narrowed. She would not allow Ren to go after Lyn.

"Hon…Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" She whined, still clinging on the Ren's arm. She felt Ren's arm tense and she smirked.

Ren looked around the room, looking for some way to escape that nightmare. Yes. That was what it was. A nightmare. He would wake up to find himself alone on the plane back to Funbari.

Then, he noticed Yoh looking at him. When Yoh realised he had caught Ren's eye, he gave his head a small jerk, almost unnoticeable, towards the front door.

The next thing he knew, Yoh had jumped forward and grabbed Hui's hand from his, and he was herding her towards the living room, the rest following him and all introducing themselves at the top of their voices.

Only Lyzerg remained, and he gave Ren a weak smile. "Lyn was quite out of it, even before all this…Have a good talk with her…" Ren nodded and thanked Lyzerg silently, running out the front door into the snow, clutching on to Kwan Dao tightly. As he ran, the snowflakes gently drifted down, slowly erasing his footprints on the snowy ground.

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Kaede sat at one side of the living room in silence, glancing at the door from time to time and hoping that Lyn would come bursting in with a smile on her face. She had looked so lost when she had left the inn.

Hao saw Kaede sitting quietly at the side, and he crawled away from where Yoh and the rest were asking Hui a dozen questions at once so she would not be able to go after Ren. He sat down next to Kaede and watched the attempts made by Yoh and the rest to keep Hui preoccupied.

Maybe it was his friendship for Lyn which made him feel that way, but he didn't trust Hui. She just seemed so fake, as if her every action was all an act. There hadn't been an inch of love in her eyes when she had declared that she was Ren's fiancée. Instead, her eyes had been glittering smugly.

"Don't worry about those two…they will be able to settle this without any incident. It isn't so easy to break the two of them up." He told Kaede, smiling fondly at her. She nodded quietly, although she didn't really seem too sure.

"Have more faith in them, eh?" Hao told Kaede, who shook her head slowly. "It's not that I don't have faith in them…but these few days, Lyn has seemed very out of it. This morning, she told me that her brother dropped by for a visit on Christmas. I don't know what she's planning, but the signs of it don't look very good…" She told Hao with a sad smile.

Hao nodded thoughtfully and gently pulled Kaede towards him so she was leaning on his shoulder. "Let's just hope for the best."

Kaede nodded slowly. It wasn't just that. She had a nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. She let out a small sigh and snuggled up against Hao. It was getting cold, due to all the winter snows.

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Lyn walked through the park silently, ignoring the occasional cold wind. She wasn't really dressed to be out in this weather, but she couldn't care less.

She found the cold refreshing, and the winds that blew seemed to clear her head. Her mind was now wide awake and she was fully alert, although her body felt numb.

Lyn stared at her feet as she walked, taking pleasure in the way they kicked up sprinkles of snow as she moved, and the way her breath formed a white mist in the crisp evening air.

A snowflake drifted down slowly and landed on her nose, melting upon contact with her warm skin. Lyn rubbed her nose to warm it up and stopped in the middle of the footpath.

She lifted her head and opened her mouth, catching some of the snowflakes with her tongue. She smiled at the icy feeling and sat down under a tree at the side of the footpath. A clump of snow fell off the bare branches of the tree and landed on her head, and Lyn shook it off with a grin.

She was glad she had come here for a walk. It was refreshing, and it had helped her confusion. She had decided to stick with her decision no matter the consequences. It was better than having Ren dying.

As for his fiancée…well, that simply made things easier for her. Hopefully, Hui would help Ren get over her.

Lyn lifted her head and stared at the sky, and the snow slowly drifting down from it. She knew that she might not make it out alive because of her decision, but there was no other way. The only other option she had was to kill Shinn, but she could not bring herself to make that decision.

Even if she died in the process, at least she would die knowing she had tried. It was better than dying knowing you did nothing at all.

Lyn closed her eyes and leaned against the tree, enjoying the peacefulness she was surrounded by. It set her heart at peace too, and she felt like nothing could get to her here. Her troubles all seemed so far away.

Suddenly, she felt a warmth emanating from a body next to her, and she opened her eyes to see Shinn sitting there beside her. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Was this all a dream? He seemed so gentle for once, instead of the usual air of superiority and wickedness which surrounded him.

"You haven't changed a bit, you know…" He told her with a gentle smile on her face. "I remember you used to eat the snow as a kid…" Lyn blinked in surprise, not daring to believe her ears. He was actually talking to her about something other than fighting?

She opened her mouth to ask him what the hell he was up to, then closed it again stupidly when she remembered her resolution. She wanted to have a good talk with Shinn, and she could not do that unless she let herself trust him.

"Why did you kill…" Shinn held a finger to her lips before she could continue. "Shh…It's not time for our last confrontation yet. Let's just enjoy this moment. I don't think I can ever enjoy something like this anymore."

Lyn blinked in surprise and looked at Shinn questioningly. What did he mean by that? But seeing the peaceful smile on his face, she decided to ask her questions later. She leaned back into the tree and closed her eyes.

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A few minutes later, she felt Shinn standing up and she opened her eyes. To her dismay, the air of gentleness which had surrounded him was gone once again, and back was the wickedness and arrogance.

He had a smirk on his face as he looked at her. "Well, that's that. If you can figure out this riddle, then I will see you again at the appointed time. And that will be the end of everything." He told her, handing her a slip of paper before disappearing into thin air.

She looked down at the slip of paper and scratched her head in confusion. It didn't make any sense to her. It simply looked like a harmless poem.

_The time has come, the inevitable is near  
__Our destined meeting, strikes bystanders with fear  
__The Gods decreed it, we will both lose something dear  
__And nothing will change it, seven suns from here_

_Back to the place, where it all began  
__We will be there, with or without our friends  
__Where it starts with a 'k', and ends with an 'o'  
__There by the ruins, one of us will KO._

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Ren looked at Lyn from a distance, unsure of what he should say to her. There were so many things he needed to explain to her, but he didn't know how he should phrase himself.

He decided to just say to her whatever came from his heart. Ren wasn't one to let his heart dictate his actions, always letting his mind do all the talking. But in this situation, it just seemed appropriate to do otherwise.

Ren began walking towards Lyn, and he noticed that she was shivering slightly from the cold. She wasn't dressed for the snowy weather, so it was only natural. He stopped when he was standing beside her and he pulled his jacket off, gently draping it around her shoulders.

She looked up at him silently, her eyes quivering. "Hey…" He said, smiling gently as he sat down beside her, under the bare branches of the tree. She stared back at him, not uttering a single word.

"About Hui…she isn't really my fiancée. Well, she is. But I'm not going to go along with this engagement. Even if my father were to disown me…there is only one person I love, and that's you. I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't love…" Ren told her, taking her hands in his.

He gasped when he felt how cold her hands were. She must have been sitting here, with her hands in the snow for quite a long time for them to feel so cold.

"Maybe…you should listen to your father…he knows what's best for you anyway…" Lyn murmured so softly that Ren had to strain his ears to hear her. He shook his head with a wry grin.

"All he wants is his pride. Hui's family is rich and quite well-known…that's the only reason. Why are you suddenly acting as if you don't want me around? Are you really so angry with me that you want me to just go away?"

Lyn shrugged uncaringly in reply. "There's nothing to be angry about, is there? In the first place, it isn't your fault. It's mine."

Ren stared at Lyn in confusion. What was she talking about? What did she mean when she said that it was her fault? How was it her fault that his father had arranged his engagement with Hui?

As Lyn stared at Ren's confused expression, she felt the icy mask she had put on slowly slipping away. She desperately clung on to it. She had to hold on to it, or she would drown in her sea of emotions.

Cool, calm and icy. That was the act she had to put on right now. Much as it hurt her, she had to do it.

_I will protect you, no matter the cost._

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"It's over…" Lyn murmured, causing Ren to look up at her in surprise. "What is?" He asked gently. Lyn smirked, her eyes cold and icy. "Us."

Ren stared at Lyn in silence, what she had just said slowly sinking in. Then, it clicked into place. "What?!" He half-shouted in bewilderment. He couldn't believe his ears. This wasn't true. It couldn't be happening. It was just a nightmare…all just a nightmare…

"Love is just a game to me. That was what I treated our relationship as from the start. A game."

Ren shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't be hearing her right. So her carefully made presents, the thought behind them. Those were all part of the game? And that tender kiss they had shared. It couldn't be true. She had to be lying. The love they had felt for each other, it all felt so real. It could not simply be a game. It just couldn't be.

Lyn stood up abruptly and walked began walking away, heading for the inn. If she continued looking at the disbelief in his eyes, her firm resolution might just be broken. And she could not allow that to happen.

Ren stood up and reached for Lyn's hands, but she slipped them away, out of his reach, as she broke into a run. "You're lying! This can't be true!" He shouted after her, fighting back the torrent of tears rushing into his eyes. His grip on Kwan Dao loosened and Kwan Dao fell to the ground with a clatter.

Lyn stopped and turned around to face him, her face hard and grave. "I'm not joking. I couldn't be more serious."

Ren stared at her helplessly, and he felt a tear roll down his cheek, followed by a second. Why was he crying? What was he crying about? Tao Ren never cried. At that moment, he looked into Lyn's eyes, and he thought he saw a fleeting glitter of tears in her eyes.

He didn't understand why she was doing this. All he knew was that it hurt her more than she let him see. A lot more.

Lyn ran back towards the En Inn, fighting back the tears. She couldn't cry. She could not let herself weaken.

_Frozen rain is falling, the sun has gone down  
__The darkness surrounds me, and our love is done  
__Turning my back, I walk silently away  
__Forgetting our promise, of 'come what may'_

_You reach out towards me, calling my name  
__I stop and coldly tell you, 'it was all just a game'  
__Deep in my heart, a silent cry for help  
__Shoved aside roughly, without so much as a yelp_

_I hear a clatter, as Kwan Dao drops  
__I turn and see you, tears in your azure orbs  
__You struggle and cry, 'this cannot be'  
__I mercilessly tell you, 'now you know me'_

_The tears you've been fighting, fall to the ground  
__And I bite my lips, as I turn around  
__The rain is pouring, the sun has gone down  
__My world is crumbling, and my support is now gone_

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Hao smiled tenderly and pushed Kaede's fringe away from her drooping eyelids. He had told her to go back to her room and sleep, but she had insisted on waiting for Lyn.

Yoh and the rest were still keeping Hui busy, and her irritation was slowly showing as she was shrieking by now.

Just then, there was a sound of stomping feet running down the hall. A few seconds later, Lyn ran past the living room. Kaede stared at through the open door in silence. Just what had happened?

Hao waited to see if Ren was following her, but after a few minutes, he realised that Lyn had come back alone. He looked around the room, and Yoh and the rest were looking out the open door with equally mystified expressions. Lyzerg, however, simply looked worried. It was the same for Kaede.

Just then, the silence was broken by the shrill ring of the phone, and everyone jumped. Everyone except Anna, that is. Anna coolly walked towards the phone and picked it up.

"Kaede! The call's for you!" Anna called, and Kaede ran out of the room worriedly, wondering who it was. After a second's hesitation, Hao ran out after her.

When Kaede put down the phone, she was chewing on her lower lip worriedly. "What happened?" Hao asked her concernedly.

"My father is ill…very ill…I'm leaving for Kyoto tomorrow."

**Woo! Everyone's making their own choices and going their own way. And what clues does the riddle that Shinn gave to Lyn hold? Hmm…**


	18. Chapter 18: Storm Clouds

**(Countdown: 2 more chapters!) And for all those who are guessing the location of the fight, I'm not telling! Read on to find out! Haha.**

**Chapter 18- Storm Clouds**

"My father is ill…very ill…I'm leaving for Kyoto tomorrow."

Hao stared at Kaede in concern, then nodded quickly. "I'll go with you…" He told her. She nodded and flashed him a weak smile. "Thank you…"

"I can send you over in my private jet…" Hao and Kaede turned around and saw Ren standing in front of them calmly. Kaede nodded and walked up to her room to pack her belongings, but Hao remained there, staring at Ren.

"What the heck did you do to Lyn?!" Hao shouted, grabbing Ren by the collar and slamming him back into the wall. Ren calmly removed Hao's hand from his collar and walked away in silence.

Hao stared at Ren's disappearing figure in confusion. How could he have been so calm? What had happened between Ren and Lyn?

Hao shook himself out of his thoughts and ran up the stairs to his room. The sooner he and Kaede could leave, the better. She would be very worried about Daisuke, more than she let out, and it would be better for her to set some of her worries to rest.

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Lyn sat at her study table, staring out the window at the gently falling snow. Breaking up with Ren had hurt her more than she had expected.

From the start, when she had decided to initiate the breakup, she had known that it would be hard. But it had been ten times worse to have actually done it.

It had hurt her. But she did not regret her decision. It was better this way, and if she was given a second chance, she would not have done anything differently. The next confrontation with Shinn would be the last. She would make sure of that. And she would be there, at the location he had stated, alone. She would not put any of her friends at risk. This was her fight, and hers alone.

Lyn stared at the piece of paper in front of her. When was the appointed time and where was the appointed place? Then, a line of the poem caught her eye.

_And nothing will change it, seven suns from here_

That line could mean two things. It could be an implication of time, which meant that the confrontation would take place a week from today. It could also be an implication of place, which meant that it would be in a place several suns away.

That was a long way away. One sun was far enough, let alone seven suns. It didn't seem to make any sense to travel so far. By the time they reached the seventh sun, they would have been ghosts for at least a billion years. So, that line was probably an implication of time.

The poem no longer looked like a harmless poem. It was full of clues, and Lyn wondered why she had not seen them earlier. Perhaps the confusion at Shinn's sudden change in behaviour had gotten to her head.

She now knew what she had to do. She would have to get ready. The sooner she got there, the better. She would have more time to make her preparations.

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Ren pushed his body mercilessly, moving from one form to another as he trained. Sweat was trickling down his back in steady beads, dripping onto the fresh layer of snow on the ground. He was breathing heavily, his breath forming a white mist in the cool morning air.

Still, he continued pushing himself. It was the easiest way to vent all the frustration he had inside. First, Hui…and now, Lyn. It was just happening too fast.

He replayed that scene in his head as he trained. The scene where she had so coldly told him that it was over. He had looked into her eyes for any sign that she was lying. Those eyes which were never able to hide her emotions from others. But at that point in time, her eyes had been as cold and hard as her voice.

That fleeting glitter of tears in her eyes. Had that all been his imagination? He desperately hoped that it wasn't. He wanted her to be happy, but in this case, he'd rather see her cry and know how much she was hurting, rather than see her smile and wonder if she was lying.

He would be fine with this, if only she was happy. But she wasn't. He had never seen her expression so cold and emotionless before. How could she be happy if she was going around with that expression?

Ren trained for hours, until even his pants were damp with sweat before he finally decided to take a break. He turned and walked towards the rock by the pond where he had left his towel, and to add to his frustration, Hui was sitting there with a smile on her face.

Hui held out his towel, and he took it without so much as a thank you. He wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and dried his damp hair before turning away to resume his training. He had no desire whatsoever to talk to anyone right now.

That girl was creepy anyway. What was she doing up so early? It was barely four in the morning, and he had been training since midnight.

"Renny…" Ren clenched his fists when he heard her address him in that manner. He hated it when people gave him all sorts of funny nicknames. He held back the desire to just shout at her and calmly ignored her.

"Renny…why don't you want to talk to me? Did I do something wrong?" Hui asked. "Just leave me alone…" Ren muttered in reply.

"But Renny…I want so much to get to know you better…And I want to know what's bothering you…" She whined, causing Ren's eyebrows to twitch.

"And stop calling me Renny…I have a name, and Renny is not it." He continued, pointedly ignoring her words. He pulled his shirt on and buttoned it up. He had just lost the desire to train. Not with her around.

He turned around and began walking back to the house, and she ran after him, hooking her arm around his. He tried to shake it off, but her grip was tighter than it looked.

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"Ren…can I sleep with you?" Ren's eyes widened in surprise and he gave his hand a hard jerk, shaking her hand off his.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! It's not normal for a girl to ask a boy if she can sleep with him!" Ren exclaimed, his face flushed.

"Oh Renny…Don't we have a dirty mind?" Hui said, a sly smirk on her face. "That wasn't what I meant at all…It's so cold, and my blankets aren't helping, so I felt like cuddling up to you for warmth."

Ren felt his hair stand as she said that. Cuddling? With her? "No. Go to your own room." He told her shortly, stalking up the stairs.

"Why? What's wrong with us sleeping together?" She asked, following him closely. "We _are_ going to get married after all…"

_Get married? Not if I can help it…_

At the top of the stairs, he saw Lyn walk out of her room with Heartblade in its scabbard, slung over her shoulders, and her duffel bag in hand.

Lyn's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Ren, then she walked past him coldly. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, holding her back.

"Where are you going?" He asked concernedly. "None of your business." She told him coldly, wrenching her hand out of his grip. She continued walking down the stairs, and Ren stared helplessly as she walked out of the Inn.

Hui's eyes narrowed when she saw the somber look in Ren's eyes. She would make him forget that girl. Through any means necessary. He was hers, and hers alone.

_And I will have him, or no one will get him at all._

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Kaede quietly followed Hao, Ren and Hui through the airport, deep in thought. She didn't notice an overloaded trolley hurtling her way, and the two nearly crashed.

Hao grabbed Kaede and pulled her towards him in the nick of time, the runaway trolley rolling past where she had been standing a second ago.

"Are you alright? What are you thinking about?" Hao asked Kaede concernedly. "Are you thinking about your father? Don't worry…he'll be fine…" He continued, giving Kaede's hand a gentle squeeze.

Kaede nodded slowly, looking at Hao with a somber smile. He ran a hand through her hair with an encouraging smile. "Don't worry too much…I'll be here with you…" He told her, and she nodded distractedly, looking through the crowd.

"What? Did you lose something?" Hao asked her worriedly. She shook her head, her blonde hair moving along with her head. "I thought I saw Lyn…But I guess that's not possible…she left two hours before we did…"

Hao put her hand around her shoulders with a small smile. "Don't worry so much about her…I'm sure she has her reasons for doing these things…"

_But what would be reason enough to hurt the one she loves?_

Kaede heard a small cough and she looked up in surprise. Then, she noticed Ren waiting for them, his foot tapping slightly with impatience. She had forgotten that he was there! He had probably heard everything, including what she had said about seeing Lyn.

Ren sighed and began walking again, Hao and Kaede following him. Kaede hadn't been the only one. He thought he had seen Lyn too. Maybe it was just his imagination? Perhaps he was that desperate for a break.

He had thought that offering to give Hao and Kaede a lift would give him some time alone, but Hui had insisted that she wanted to come along.

Hui narrowed her eyes as she gripped Ren's arm possessively. He still looked quite upset. She would not allow it! Ren tried to remove his hand from her grip, and she held on even harder.

Unknown to them, Lyn was hiding in a dark corner somewhere behind them. She let out a sigh of relief as they walked away. She had almost been spotted. She shook herself out of her thoughts and walked out of that corner, towards her boarding gate.

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"Dad!" Kaede exclaimed, running to the bed where Daisuke was lying, asleep. He opened his eyes and smiled weakly, patting her fondly on her head.

"Are you alright?" Kaede asked worriedly. Daisuke smiled and nodded weakly. "The servants are overreacting…I'm fine…It's just pneumonia. The doctor said that all I needed was some rest." Kaede nodded, although she continued chewing on her lower lip worriedly.

Hao patted her on the shoulder, giving her an encouraging smile. Daisuke nodded in approval at this. "I'm glad that the two of you are getting along so handsomely. I wouldn't want to entrust my precious daughter to someone who didn't love her."

Hao nodded and put his arm around Kaede's shoulder. "I will love her with my life." He told Daisuke, then let go of Kaede's shoulder to help him sit up. Daisuke looked around and smiled at Ren, who was leaning against the wall near the door. He frowned slightly when he saw Hui, who was clinging on to Ren again.

"Have I met you?" He asked, and Hui shook her head. "I'm Hui! Ren's fiancée!" She told him, smiling happily. Daisuke looked at her in surprise, before nodding thoughtfully.

"Where's Lyn?" Daisuke asked, looking at Kaede curiously. She shrugged uncertainly. "She left the inn before we did." Daisuke nodded, and knowing his daughter's tendency to worry, smiled encouragingly.

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Ren sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed, deep in thought. Kaede had invited him to stay over at her house for a few days, telling him that it might help him feel better, and he had agreed. Of course, Hui had invited herself without asking anyone, assuming that others owed it to her.

Memories of the times he had spent with Lyn flooded him, and he found himself laughing at her silliness once again, and smiling when she was happy. And when he replayed the scene after her parents had died, he found himself drowning in his feelings of helplessness once more.

He felt something slide up his arm and he opened his eyes. His eyes widened in shock when he saw what Hui was doing, and he flushed.

Hui slid her toe up Ren's arm, purring as she did so. Then, she took her leg away and leaned in towards him, forcing a kiss on him.

Ren could feel his face flaming by now, and he pushed Hui off roughly. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He growled angrily. Hui shrugged with a sly smile. "What's wrong? I am your fiancée after all…"

"Just leave me alone and keep your body parts to yourself." Ren growled, shifting so he was sitting even further from her. He frowned slowly. There was something wrong with this, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

Then, sudden realisation hit him like a bolt. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM, WEARING ONLY YOUR ROBES?" He thundered, his face burning from a mixture of embarrassment and anger.

Hui let her sleeve drop so part of her smooth skin at her shoulder was revealed, and she put a finger in her mouth, blinking at Ren innocently. "Why not?" She purred seductively, crawling towards Ren and letting her robes hang down so her plump breasts were partially revealed.

Ren stood up and turned his back to her. "Get out of my room…" He growled coldly, an aura of cold, seething rage surrounding him. "But Renny…" "Get out of my room. If you aren't going to leave, I will." Ren said coldly, cutting her protests off.

Hui pulled her sleeves back over her shoulder and tied the belt of the robe tightly before exiting the room, shooting death glares at Ren's back. So she hadn't succeeded this time. Well, she would succeed the next time!

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"And there's the matter of inheritance. I want a half of his wealth in cash. I did, after all, bear him a daughter, so I deserve to inherit some of his wealth when he dies."

Kaede stared at the woman sitting opposite her in disbelief. What was she thinking? As she droned on and on, Kaede felt her rage slowly building up, slowly adding to the pressure until it would explode.

"And I demand that I be given control over his company. I was, after all, his wife for a period of time."

Kaede saw Hao clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles turned white, and she held on tightly to his fists. "I will handle this…" She whispered to him, and he nodded grimly.

"When is he going to die anyway? I think he deserves it, for playing around with so many women behind my back."

Kaede could no longer hold her anger in. This woman was going too far. She didn't care if she was her mother. She was insulting Daisuke, and all those insults were untrue.

"Daddy never played around with women behind your back. He was faithful to you, even when you were making his life hell! And now you're trying to make my life hell too?! Let me tell you this! Daddy would never give you a single cent of his wealth! He has already told me that he wants half of it to go to charity, and the other half is for me to continue the company. And I respect his decision. You won't get a single cent!"

Yuri gasped and feigned shock. "Is that the way you should speak to your mother? How has your father been raising you all these years? Whatever happened to my dear, quiet daughter?"

Kaede breathed heavily, trying to keep her cool. "You married into a rich Chinese family after you divorced Daddy, and you aren't poor or starving! Your daughter, my half-sister, is marrying into another affluent Chinese family! So why must you come here and make such a big fuss? Let me tell you one thing! Daddy is _not _going to die so soon! So you can just get the hell out of here!"

Yuri glared at Kaede, her eyes bulging with rage. She narrowed her eyes and continued sitting on the couch, feigning ignorance. Hao saw Kaede clenching her fists so hard her arm was shivering, and he could no longer bear to see her so upset.

"Kaede might not be able to do it, but I don't give a damn about who you are. If you don't get out right now, you are going to be burnt to a crisp. Spirit of Fire!" Hao growled, Spirit of Fire appearing behind him.

Kaede stared at him in shock, and he gave her a smile to tell her he knew what he was doing. Yuri's eyes widened in fear and she stood up, walking to the door.

"I hope you all die a painful death!" She shouted before she left the house. Kaede flopped down onto the sofa and let out a sigh, and Hao sat down next to her.

"Maybe we shouldn't have been so extreme?" Kaede said uncertainly, looking up at Hao worriedly. Hao grinned and ruffled her hair. "You're too kind at times…someone like her needs to be given a hard shove before they agree to listen. I know because I was like that. I had to be beaten by Yoh before I agreed to listen to reason…"

Kaede nodded slowly, then slumped down into the sofa tiredly. She could only hope for the best about her father now...

"You know, your mother seems to bear a strong resemblance to someone, both in personality and in looks…" Hao commented, causing Kaede to look up at him in surprise. "Who?" She asked curiously.

"Hui."

**O.o! This wasn't supposed to happen! Yuri and Hui were not supposed to be mother and daughter! But it just seemed so appropriate while I was typing. I'm as shocked as any of you guys. That's what happens when you can't plan. You get shocked by your own plot. RARR! Damn that means that Hui and Kaede are half sisters? OMG poor Kaede…**

**And Hui's such a slut…Bleah…should I kill her? Or should I not? Hmm to kill or not to kill? What do you guys think?**


	19. Chapter 19: Confrontation

**Haha I just cut my hair short. So happy. . Anyway, I might just extend this story by one chapter, but for now, one more chapter to go! Yay I like this chapter! Fight! Haha. Woo Hao's crazy…annoy him and he calls out S.O.F. AH! So fierce. I'm quaking in my pants. Positive. (Damn I'm having a massive migraine.)**

**Oh and the Chinese character ****终 ****(Pronounced Zhong) means 'End'. It is somewhat significant as the name for Hui's spirit, as that spirit has only one attack, 'Final Slash'. That attack either kills its opponents, or has no effect at all. Haha. Came up with it in less than a minute, so do forgive me for its lameness.**

**Chapter 19- Confrontation**

"Yea…I'm your half sister…" Kaede stared at Hui in disbelief. So Hui was Yuri's daughter from her second marriage? This made things slightly awkward.

Hui was so possessive of Ren, but Kaede knew Ren did not feel the same way towards her. Perhaps Kaede should support Hui, since they were sisters, but Kaede felt that it was not right. Feelings were one thing that could not be forced.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Kaede asked, still stunned from the newest discovery. Hui smirked at this.

"Why should I? That I have a sister as naïve as you is nothing to be proud of." Kaede's eyes widened in surprise and she stared at Hui with downcast eyes.

"Well, it _is_ true…" Hui muttered, her smirk growing. Hao patted Kaede on the shoulder and Kaede nodded. Even if all this was sudden, nothing would ever change the fact that Hui was her sister. And as the older sister, Kaede had the duty to try and teach Hui when she was doing something wrong.

"Well, since we are sisters, would you listen to my advice and leave Ren alone?" Kaede asked slowly. Hui shook her head stubbornly, and smiled smugly at Kaede's obvious distress. "Why should I?" She challenged Kaede's request.

"Because love cannot be forced, and you're not the one Ren loves." Kaede stated simply, and Hui snorted. "Yea right. Look. Firstly, I'm his fiancée, so I have every right to make him love me. Besides, mum always taught me to fight for what I want, and to be ruthless in the process."

"The problem is, you don't even like him. I've seen that look in your eyes when you look at him, and there isn't an inch of love in that." Hao told Hui firmly, causing her to hesitate. "We-well, I do! So there!" Hui stuttered, and Kaede shook her head in despair.

Just then, there was the sound of footsteps and Ren walked into the living room. Hui's eyes lit up and she ran towards him, clutching on to his hand. "Renny! Where are you going?" She asked chirpily.

Ren's left eye twitched and he shook her hand off his with a growl. "My name is not Renny, and where I go is none of your business."

"But Renny! I want to go out with you! We're going to get married, and we haven't even been on a date yet." Hui insisted stubbornly.

Ren snorted and walked towards the front door. Hui tried to follow him, but Hao stood in her way, having seen the desperate look on Ren's face. To live with someone like Hui, who kept throwing herself at you, was probably quite tiring. Especially to someone like Ren, who, despite the tough mask he donned, was very kind inside.

"What's your problem?!" Hui screeched at him, and he smirked, Spirit of Fire appearing behind him as he did so. "I just don't want to let you have your way. If you have a problem with that, you may speak to Spirit of Fire about it."

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Ren stood by the two graves, his memories of that day washing over him. The day Lyn's parents had died. He didn't believe a word Lyn had said when she had broken up with him.

He didn't understand her reasons for doing so, but he refused to believe that their feelings for each other had all been a lie.

They had both been through so much together. He had seen Lyn's loss and her sorrow, and he had comforted her. He had seen her doubt, and her renewed resolution. He had opened his heart fully to her and loved her, and the best thing had been that he loved that feeling.

Ren squatted down and brushed the snow off from the ground in between the two graves, where he had placed his flowers and where she had placed her memories. His flowers were probably long gone by now, but the string of trinkets she had placed there should still be around.

Ren blinked in surprise when he had dug through the thin layer of snow to the ground and saw nothing. He knew he had remembered the spot correctly, so where had the trinkets gone? Then, he noticed signs that someone had been here recently. It hadn't snowed since the previous night, and the signs looked fresh, so that person couldn't have gone too far away.

Ren heard a thump, followed by the crunching of feet against the frozen ground and he turned around, only to find himself face to face with Shinn.

"Tao Ren. That's your name, isn't it? I really don't know what my sister sees in you that makes her so willing to bear any amount of pain for you. You don't seem that great to me." Shinn said with a smirk, and Ren clenched his fists.

"Well, I think I will just help her forget about you." Shinn smirked as he drew a huge broadsword out from behind him. Ren took Horaiken out from under his coat and extended it with a flick of his wrist.

"Bason!" Shinn sneered at Ren and wagged a finger warningly. "Uh uh…Have you forgotten that I'm immune to your oversoul attacks? Gosh. Not only are you nothing special. You suffer from amnesia as well? You really don't deserve someone like my sister."

Ren narrowed his eyes and nodded with a small smirk. "Maybe I'm truly unworthy of someone like her. But I love her, and I will work hard to become someone deserving of her. Besides, I'm not that bad myself. Bason! Spirit Ball mode! Spirit Fusion!"

"Borrowing the spirit's strength through spirit fusion? Do you seriously believe you can kill me with something as pathetic as this?" Shinn asked with a widening smirk. However, that smirk was wiped off his face when he noticed that Ren had disappeared.

Shinn swung around just in time and raised his broadsword to meet Ren's downward slash, although he grunted with the force of the attack.

"Not yet. I won't kill you yet." He muttered, punching Ren in the stomach with his free hand and sending him flying back. "See you in five days…Hopefully you're smart enough to find your way to where Lyn and I will be…" Shinn said with a smirk, before disappearing with a snap of his fingers.

Ren stood staring at the spot where Shinn had been before disappearing. In five days? What did he mean? And Lyn was going to be there too? Where the hell was the place Shinn had been talking about?

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Ren stood at the balcony in his room, staring out to the distant horizon. Five days had already passed and he had still been unable to find out the where Shinn and Lyn were going to be.

Ren had called Yoh and asked him to look for any clues which Lyn had left behind, but they hadn't found anything. Worse, when he had called the En Inn the previous night, there had been no reply.

Just then, he heard the stomping of feet and before he knew what had hit him, Yoh and Horo Horo came bursting into his room, and although their eyes were worried, they had wide grins on their faces. Ren wondered how a person could feel two conflicting emotions at the same time, and for no apparent reason.

"We found something, and we figured out what it meant so we decided to come over. Here." Yoh said, handing Ren a piece of paper. Ren looked at the riddle written on it, and his eyes widened in surprise.

_The time has come, the inevitable is near  
__Our destined meeting, strikes bystanders with fear  
__The Gods decreed it, we will both lose something dear  
__And nothing will change it, seven suns from here_

_Back to the place, where it all began  
W__e will be there, with or without our friends  
__Where it starts with a 'k', and ends with an 'o'  
__There by the ruins, one of us will KO._

The third line of the second verse gave it all away. Kyoto was a prefecture which started with the letter 'k' and ended with the letter 'o'. And the first line of that same verse probably meant Lyn's house, or rather, where her house had once stood. After all, that was where it had all began for Shinn and Lyn, hadn't it?

"We don't know where the place is exactly, just that it is somewhere in Kyoto. We all are ready to leave. You coming?" Ren looked up at Yoh with a smirk. "What do you think?"

As Ren walked towards his room door with Yoh and Horo Horo, the door was flung open from outside and Hui came bursting into his room.

"Ren! Yoh and the rest came by, and they're all geared up and ready to leave anytime! Even Hao and Kaede are ready! Where are you guys going?!" Hui shouted, flinging her arms around Ren's neck.

"We are going to help a friend." Ren replied simply, calmly removing her arms from around his neck. Hui narrowed her eyes. "It's Lyn, isn't it? Well, I don't care what you say, I'm coming too!" She stated stubbornly.

"Whatever. I'm not going to waste time arguing with you. Just don't come crying to me if you get hurt." Ren said coldly, walking past her and out the door.

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"Oh and one more thing. He's immune to oversoul, so we'll have to use Spirit Fusion." Ren told Yoh and the rest as they walked towards the site where Lyn's house had once stood. They nodded and Yoh gave him a relaxed grin. "Don't worry. It will all work out somehow…"

Ren nodded and told himself to relax. Yoh was right. Worrying would do no good. He quickened his pace as their destination came into sight, and he looked around worriedly when he saw that neither Shinn nor Lyn were around. Had they come to the wrong place?

"No one's here, Ren…Did you get the place wrong?" Yoh asked Ren with a grin. Ren shook his head in confusion. "No. It should be here."

"Tao Ren. I see you managed to figure out the place I was talking about the previous day? Sadly, you have only walked into your own doom. My dear sister isn't here right now." Shinn called with a laugh, walking towards them, his followers behind him. Ren recognized one of them, the blonde haired young man called Yuudai.

"You're Lyn's sister? Well, you can just die! I hate that witch who stole my fiancée's heart!" Hui shouted, running out from where she had been standing. She drew a dagger from her belt and dashed towards Shinn. "Zhong-Jie in dagger!"

The dagger remained the same, except for the fact that it had a pinkish glow around it. "Final Slash!" Hui shouted, and an enormous red slash of light shot towards Shinn. It hit him head-on and dissipated harmlessly, and Hui stood staring at him in shock.

Shinn waved his hand, and suddenly, Hui was flung towards Ren and the rest by an invisible force. Ren caught her and pushed her behind him.

"Didn't you listen to me? I said that he was immune to oversoul!" Ren growled at Hui, his voice harsh. Hui nodded slowly, her eyes wide and her body quivering with shock.

"Shinn's mine. Could you guys hold back his followers? Yoh. I will need this favour from you." Ren requested, taking Horaiken out from under his coat and preparing for battle. Yoh nodded with a grin. "Wow, Ren. You're actually asking for help? Don't worry…It'll all work out somehow." Ren smirked in reply, then summoned Bason.

"Bason! Spirit Ball mode! Spirit Fusion!"

_Where's Lyn?_

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Ren gritted his teeth as Horaiken met Shinn's broadsword once more, and then was heaved off so Ren was sent stumbling backwards. He steadied himself before running towards Shinn once more, Horaiken held so that its tip was pointing back.

When Shinn was within range, Ren heaved Horaiken up in a diagonal slash, and growled when Shinn knocked that attack away with a vertical swing. Shinn followed that attack with a forward thrust aimed at Ren's right arm, and Ren jumped to his left in an attempt to dodge that attack. Shinn caught him in mid-air with his fist, and sent Ren flying back with a firm punch.

Ren steadied himself, his shoulders heaving from the exertion. He had underestimated Shinn. Even with his bulky broadsword, he still managed to maintain a speed which Ren found hard to keep up with. And the worst of it was that Ren was already using Spirit Fusion while Shinn had not even called out his spirit.

Ren lifted Horaiken to his face and aimed its tip at Shinn's heart, dashing towards Shinn and preparing for a powerful thrust which would be impossible for Shinn to block. But Shinn did not attempt to block that attack. Instead, he pivoted to the side suddenly while Ren ran past him, unable to stop immediately from the momentum of the attack.

Instead of turning around and attacking Shinn directly, Ren waited for Shinn to attack him. After all, when he had tried making the first move, he had failed. So why not attempt a different attack?

Shinn smirked in acknowledgement of his ruse, and looked at Ren, his eyes challenging him to see who would come out on top. Ren smirked in return and stood at the ready.

Shinn charged towards Ren, holding his broadsword over his shoulder so that he could bring it down in a powerful swing. Ren timed his counterattack carefully, and he jumped into the air after Shinn had swung his broadsword downwards.

Ren did a back flip in mid air and used Shinn's shoulders to push himself higher into the air. He landed behind Shinn and stabbed Horaiken towards him, and Shinn swung around and thrust for Ren's heart.

Just before the two attacks could draw blood, someone or something came rushing towards them, slashing its weapon upward and knocking them both back before any blood was spilt.

Ren blinked in surprise, and then saw that it was Lyn. "This is my fight…" She told him with a weak smile, her eyes begging him to step back.

"Archangel, oversoul!"

Ren's eyes widened in fear. "No! He's immune to oversoul!"

**I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave you guys hanging for about two weeks. I'm going on a holiday! Haha anyway, how'd you find this chapter? Review! Haha thanks.**


	20. Chapter 20: Overwhelming Power

**Hello! Sorry that I have left you guys hanging for so long. Haha this chapter is the second last, and yes…its another cliffhanger. Haha. Well, I was planning for this to be the last chapter, but the fight scene ran on its own course, so I decided to end at the next chapter. Haha. Yeap.**

**Oh here's a notice for you all. snow-angel-anna has discontinued her HoroOC, and she's currently working on a GetBackers fic. It's a KazukiOC, and she has posted her first chapter. You guys go support her if you have the time k? Haha and I posted a GetBackers oneshot too, so go read it if you wanna!**

**Oh and the reason why I chose the number three for the barrier, is NOT because its Ren's favourite number. In the Catholic bible (I'm not sure about the rest), three is a number of completeness. The Holy TRInity, and such all point towards that meaning. So effectively, three is a powerful number. Oh and besides, a triangle is one of the more stable and balanced shapes right?**

**And in case you don't remember, Heartblade is made of 5 swords locked together. The five swords are Tsubasa, Phoenix Flame, Murasame, Dark Entity and Ancient Warrior. Yeap I've arranged them in order of strength.**

**Note: A fallen-angel is NOT a devil. Its just an angel that has fallen to disgrace and has been sent to Earth as a punishment. At least, that's how I'm using the term in this story. Yea. So its not evil. Its as human as any of us, other than the fact that it has enhanced abilities.**

**Enjoy! Tell me what you think of it k?**

**Chapter 20- Overwhelming Power**

Ren stared in amazement as a pair of wings emerged from Lyn's back. A pair of white feathered wings, surrounded by a pulsing golden light.

"I'm not that silly…" She told him with a grin, pointing to her wings with her thumb. Ren blinked in surprise, standing in a stunned silence for a second before realising what she was talking about. Her wings were not real. Instead, they were a product of oversoul.

Of course! How could he have forgotten? Archangel was a winged angel-warrior, meaning he had three mediums. The first was Lyn's sword, Heartblade. The second was the light of the sun. And the third, was a feather.

"Not just any feather." Lyn commented, as if able to read his mind. "It must be a perfect feather, one without a single flaw, and one of pure white. After all, an angel's wings are totally white."

"Stay back. I have to do this alone. This is _my_ fight, and I'm not going to drag anyone into this." Lyn muttered, wiping the grin off her face as she turned to Shinn.

"These wings give me increased mobility. That should at least increase my chances of success." Lyn told Shinn, as she flew up into the air. Shinn smirked in reply.

Shinn's smirk slowly grew into an evil smile, and then into a laugh. "You underestimate me, my dear sister. Have you forgotten that I, too, have a spirit?"

"Fallen-angel! Oversoul!"

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Ren stared at the two people before him intently. Was this really destiny? The two were siblings, yet while they both held the power of an angel, one was that of a fallen angel. It was equivalent to the battle of light against dark.

He looked at Shinn curiously, waiting to see what a fallen-angel's wings would be like. But no wings emerged.

Shinn dashed towards Ren, and smirked at his stunned expression. "A fallen-angel is one that has lost its wings. But it still maintains a speed above that of an ordinary mortal. With this speed, I can kill you anytime."

"Not if I can help it!" Lyn shouted, streaking down towards Shinn, her wings folded at her side and Heartblade held with its tip pointing towards him. He smirked and sprinted away. "You can't even touch me now."

Lyn heaved a small sigh of relief. She had been hoping that her attack would miss. All she had needed was for him to get away from Ren.

"You will not harm a hair on my friends' heads as long as I am alive!" She shouted as she unlocked Tsubasa from Heartblade and let it drop to the ground. Tsubasa pierced the ground with the momentum it had gotten when she had dropped it from the air, and it stood upright, tip buried in the ground.

Lyn knew she was taking a risk, but to her, it was a necessary risk. If she succeeded, they would all get out of this alive, including Shinn. If she failed…she would rather die than have to kill her own brother.

Lyn flew towards Shinn with her remaining swords locked together. This attack she was planning was unlike anything she had ever tried before, although she remembered Kenshin having taught it to her.

From what she could remember, even Kenshin took a long time to prepare this attack. But it was a chance she had to take. Only one thing worried her…

_I have never been able to execute this attack successfully._

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Kaede gritted her teeth as her attack missed again. She turned behind to see Lyn locked sword to sword with Shinn, and she bit her lip as she turned just in time to block an attack from her opponent.

Knowing Lyn, she probably wanted to handle this all by herself. Kaede chanced another look towards that battle, and her suspicions were confirmed. Ren was standing by the side, simply watching, which meant that Lyn had told him not to interfere.

"Watch out!" She turned around to see spirit of fire intercept a oversouled shuriken which had been flying for her heart.

"Thanks…" She told Hao with a weak smile, and he shook his head. "Its fine. Just be careful. Its no use worrying about Lyn right now. She has her reasons. Just focus on the battle at hand. Especially since Hui isn't doing a thing."

Kaede looked towards where Hao was pointing, and saw the truth in his words. Hui was just sitting on the ground, her face stunned and her body quivering with shock.

Maybe the shock of this would help Hui to wake up and realise the wrong in her actions. It was a cruel thought, but sometimes, people needed to have a near-death experience to wake them up.

"Her life is probably flashing past before her eyes now. So we had better do something to make sure that it stays that way. We don't want her life to flash past _our_ eyes now, do we?" Hao commented with a smirk, and Kaede looked up at him in surprise.

"You still consider her your sister, don't you? And we can't let your sister die." He told her with an encouraging smile, and she nodded gratefully.

She did disapprove of Hui's behaviour, especially with Ren. But she couldn't blame Hui wholly. She had been brought up to think that way by that woman. She just had to be taught to see beyond her comfort zone.

Kaede sensed a projectile approaching her from behind, and she quickly ducked. As she did so, she noticed a shuriken flying towards Hui.

Kaede willed Hui to dodge, but Hui simply stared at the incoming weapon, eyes widening in fear but not making any attempt to move.

Kaede fired her own projectile to deflect the shuriken, and at the same time, spirit of fire's hand zoomed in to block the attack. Kaede glanced at Hao and smiled thankfully.

_I'm glad he understands how I feel about this whole thing, and that he supports me._

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Lyn gritted her teeth as her muscles strained to push Shinn's broadsword back. She had never been able to beat him when it came to strength, so she had trained her speed. That was why she had trained herself to fight using two swords.

To her, strength didn't matter as much as speed. She didn't mind losing some force from her attacks if she could overwhelm her opponent with speed.

But now that Shinn had used oversoul, she lost to him even in speed.

If only she could figure out what his medium was. She couldn't see any aura of oversoul.

Shinn suddenly pulled back, causing Lyn to stumble forward with the momentum from the force she had been exerting. He smirked and slashed upwards, sending Lyn flying backwards. He ran after her, and held the tip of his broadsword against the tender skin of her throat.

"Still too weak, sister. That was the first time I 'killed' you. I won't hold back next time."

He lifted his broadsword from her throat and took a step back. Lyn pushed herself up and narrowed her eyes at the evil smirk on his face.

Her eyes widened in fear when she saw Ren running towards Shinn, Horaiken held at the ready. She ran towards him and sent Horaiken flying from Ren's hands with a swing of Heartblade,

Ren stared at Lyn in shock. What was Lyn trying to prove? Her life had been in danger back there. "I told you not to interfere in this fight!" Lyn growled harshly, her face hard.

Lyn saw confusion growing in Ren's eyes, and her face softened. "Look. I know what I'm trying to do. I just want to try ending this _my _way." She told him in a gentler voice, but that only added to his confusion.

Lyn shook her head and flashed Ren a grin before she turned around to face Shinn. "You don't have to hold back this time! Because I won't fall for the same attack twice!" She shouted, flying away from Ren and towards where she had been locked in combat with Shinn before.

Shinn dashed towards Lyn, stopping beside Ren for a second. "Did you seriously think I was unaware of your presence?" Shinn dashed away before Ren could even open his mouth, and Ren turned around to see Lyn locked in combat with Shinn once again.

_The Gods decreed it, we will both lose something dear_

And…

_There by the ruins, one of us will KO._

What had those two lines in the riddle meant?

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Lyn knocked Shinn's broadsword back, then quickly flew up into the air and unlocked Murasame from Heartblade, dropping it about a metre and a half to the side of where Tsubasa was already embedded in the ground.

Lyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them and unlocked Ancient Warrior from Heartblade, leaving Phoenix Flame and Dark Entity locked together. She needed to start using double swords if she wanted to complete the attack she was preparing.

Just then, something about Shinn's sword caught her eye. The large blade was surrounded by a darkness that seemed to be eating up the light around it. It was as if it was trying to suck away all the light in the world.

And suddenly, it seemed to her as if the broadsword was fading away, and taking its place was a wickedly curved scimitar. The broadsword seemed to be shifting, so quickly it gave her a migraine.

"Shinn…?" Lyn whispered fearfully, wondering what was going on. There seemed to be a growing smirk on his face.

"Thank you for lending your weapon to me, master…" Shinn whispered, then looked up at Lyn, his eyes overpowered by shadow.

Shinn lifted his sword, and to Lyn's horror, it was now a black scimitar which gave out a darkness that filled her with despair, a darkness so bleak it seemed to suck all the joy out of her life and left her an empty, shriveled shell.

_I…can't give up.  
__I must not give in to the darkness…  
__I must hold on to life!_

_But its surrounding me…swallowing me…  
__Help me! Someone! Anyone!  
__Help? I thought I wasn't going to depend on anyone?  
__I thought I was not going to drag anyone into MY fight?_

_I'm falling…The darkness is overwhelming.  
__I see his face…that evil smirk, but I can't bring myself to hate him.  
__I'm falling further…is this fight impossible?  
__Was I doomed to failure from the start?  
__Is opposing the prophecies really such an unreachable aim?_

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Ren's eyes widened in horror as Lyn sank to her knees, her eyes blank. From the start, he had been praying so hard that she would make it through this battle. And seeing how she had been holding back, as if afraid to hurt Shinn, had worried him further. Of course it would. While she was hesitating, Shinn had no qualms whatsoever of hurting her.

Ren glanced towards Shinn, and saw that he was holding a black scimitar instead of the broadsword he had used previously. Shinn was smirking down at Lyn's rapidly weakening body.

"Lyn!" Ren cried in fear as he ran towards her and scooped her limp body into his arms.

Any normal person would have found Lyn's state disconcerting. Although she seemed to be in a trance-like state, her eyes were wide open, but they were blank, void of any emotion.

But Ren couldn't care less. All he noticed was Lyn's shortening breath, her weakening pulse and slowing heartbeat.

The only thought running through his head was that the one person he treasured the most was dying in his arms.

**See you guys at the next chapter!**


	21. Chapter 21: Falling Deeper

**Hey! Sorry for the ultra late update. I've been busy, what with school and tournaments and stuff. And I also had a very bad writer's block. But, I've finally managed to squeeze something out. Tell me what you think ok? If you don't think it's up to standard, I'll gladly repost it. Haha.**

**I know chapter 20 was supposed to be the last. Bear with me for now, k? I'm really sorry.**

**Oh and the flashback in this chapter came from the period between chapters 14 and 15. After all, I missed two whole months between these chapters! Haha.**

**Biblical references here, no offence meant to anyone, yea?**

**Once again, sorry for taking so long with this chapter. Be sure to tell me what you think, and if it's up to standard or not.**

**Next update will be…I'm not too sure about that. I will try and update ASAP. Sorry about that.**

**And just in case, here's wishing all a HAPPY VALENTINES in advance!**

**Chapter 21- Falling Deeper**

(Lyn's POV)

_Where am I?  
__Floating…in darkness?  
__Is this the passageway between life and death?  
__No!  
__I can't die!  
__Not yet!  
__I have to go back…  
__I want to…need to talk to him…  
__At least give me a chance to express my feelings towards him…_

_Shinn…_

(End POV)

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Shinn let out a moan of ecstasy as he felt the immense power flooding him. Holding so much power within him seemed to have heightened his senses. He could even hear the slight crack in that bastard Tao's voice as he repeatedly called Lyn's name.

Shinn breathed evenly as the power continuously flowed into him in a never-ending torrent. Suddenly, a gasp of pain escaped his lips, and he opened his eyes in surprise. There had been a sudden pain at his heart, as if someone had put their arm around it and gave it a squeeze.

Was he still resisting this dark power his master had given him, somewhere deep inside? Was he not fully loyal to his master? He had to be. His master was his benefactor, the one who had lifted him from the slums of his heart.

He had been the one who promised to bring Xue Li-An back to Shinn.

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"Lyn!" Ren called Lyn's name once again, and once more, there was no reply. Ren could feel a lump building in his throat, and every time he blinked, he felt tears threatening to fall.

_This can't be.  
__Lyn's always smiling.  
__Can't keep still for a second.  
__So this can't be her.  
__She wouldn't lie here so silently.  
__She told me she would have a good talk with her brother.  
__And she always keeps her promises._

"Damn it…Lyn…Answer me…Stop fooling around already…you're scaring me..." Ren growled through gritted teeth, shaking Lyn's limp body gently.

"Come on…if you jump up and shout, 'JUST KIDDING', I promise I won't kill you! Just answer me…"

Ren stared at Lyn's face hopefully, and forced a sob down when there was no change in her expression.

_Smile for me._

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(Lyn's POV)

_Nothing but darkness…  
__Floating along aimlessly…  
_…  
…  
…

_Death…  
__Sure is boring…  
__Nothing to do, nothing to see…  
_…  
…  
…

_I don't think I'm suited for death.  
__I don't want to stay here, with no goal.  
__Besides, I feel like I should be somewhere else…  
_…  
…  
…

_Only thing is…  
__I can't remember where._

_Gosh. I can't be suffering from dementia, can I?  
N__ot possible…I'm only 15 for goodness' sake!_

_Where am I supposed to be?_

(End POV)

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A tear trickled down his cheek and dripped onto her closed eyelids. Tao Ren was crying. And he was no longer making any effort to hide it.

"Please, Lyn…answer me…" He whispered, wiping the tears from his eyes. Fresh floods replaced them immediately and trickled down his cheeks in steady streams.

"You promised me…that you would always be smiling ahead of me, and that you would never leave me alone…"

**Flashback:**

_Lyn bent forward, clutching her sides as her body shook with laughter. "You look…like a lake…MONSTER!" She gasped out between laughs._

_Next to her, Yoh grinned and nodded in agreement. Horo Horo was too busy beating the ground with his fist, laughing until tears ran down his cheeks, to show his agreement. Not that it wasn't obvious enough._

_Ren clenched his fists. "Its not all that amusing…" He growled through gritted teeth, while trying to muster an air of dignity. His attempts were all for naught. After all, how was one to remain dignified when covered in mud from head to toe?_

"_Well, it is, actually. If only we had a mirror so you could see for yourself. Your mud splattered tongari looks like the fin of a lake monster." Lyn told him with a perfectly straight face, blinking cheekily at him before bursting into laughter once again._

"_Here. I'll provide you with a mirror, free of charge!" Horo Horo said, still laughing hard. He performed an oversoul and froze the water vapor in the surrounding air to form a large block of ice._

_Ren looked at himself in the 'mirror', and an unconscious growl escaped his throat._

_I look stupid…_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Lyn sat next to Ren under the tree in the garden, leaves drifting down gently around them. She chanced a quick glance at Ren, then pulled her knees to her chest, twiddling her thumbs. The silence was awkward, to the point of being uncomfortable._

_Lyn slowly gathered the courage to speak. "Are you angry about what happened just now?" She asked softly. Ren remained silent and continued staring ahead for awhile, before shaking his head._

_Lyn let out the breath she had been holding unconsciously. "That's a relief…" She said, with a small smile. Ren nodded shortly, still not looking at her._

"_What's wrong?" She asked worriedly, turning around so she was looking straight at Ren. Ren stared blankly ahead, showing no signs of reaction. Then, he shook his head as if having difficulty pulling himself out of his thoughts._

_He turned to face Lyn abruptly, and took her right hand in his left. Lyn blinked in surprise, flushing lightly._

"_Promise me something…" Ren muttered, a strange expression on his face. Lyn replied with a nod of her head and a bright grin._

"_Promise me that you will never ever leave me alone in this world? Don't die before I do…and promise me that you will always be smiling?"_

"_EH?!"_

_Ren chuckled a little at Lyn's reaction, but in a split second, his expression turned to a more serious one. "I'm just worried…I've been having weird dreams lately…" He assured her that it was nothing important. Lyn nodded, looking at him uncertainly._

"_Alright. I promise. Same goes for you, alright? Don't die before I do."_

**End Flashback.**

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Ren bent over and dug his head into Lyn's stomach gently, stifled sobs escaping his lips. Normally, Ren would never have cried, but for some reason, he just couldn't hold his tears back any longer.

_Stop crying, you idiot…  
H__er heart's still beating, so she's still alive…  
__Besides, Tao's don't cry.  
__We remain strong, no matter the adversity we are facing._

Ren lifted his face slightly, and saw something out of the corner of his eye. The two swords Lyn had dropped were glowing gently, faintly.

Ren didn't know what Lyn was trying to do, but if those swords were still glowing, it would mean that she was still maintaining whatever she had been planning. And that would mean that her will was still strong, and that she would be able to survive.

The glow surrounding the swords flickered, and then disappeared.

Ren bit down on his tongue to stifle a cry of despair. He lowered his head gently onto her chest, and closed his eyes when he felt her heartbeat growing fainter.

_Lyn…  
__The one who did this…_

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(Lyn's POV)

_I feel so tired…  
__And there doesn't seem to be anything important that I have to do.  
__After all, mother always told me that if you couldn't remember something, it was because it wasn't important._

_So…Maybe I can just leave?  
__That place…looks so peaceful…  
S__omewhere I can get my solace…_

_Animals living peacefully  
__A lion and a lamb playing together.  
__That must be what heaven is like.  
__I want to go there…_

(End POV)

Lyn took a step towards the place which seemed like heaven, then took a step back, biting her lip. She still felt like she had forgotten something _really_ important. She shook her head and let out a growl of frustration.

She looked back towards _that _place, and saw people smiling and waving to her, beckoning her to come closer to them. She took a hesitant step forward, and then another, followed by a third, each step more confident than the last.

Suddenly, a hand stretched out and blocked her path. She sidestepped and tried to walk past the hand, but it extended with her.

"Young one. You are not yet ready to enter this haven. This is for those who have no yearnings from their mortal lives." A awe-inspiring voice boomed.

Lyn looked up at the owner of the voice, an elderly man with a snow-white beard. "I have nothing I yearn for anymore. I just want to go that haven, and rest." She said, her eyes despairing.

The man shook his head.

"No, young one. Your time is not yet up, for your name is not written on the book of life and death. And you have yearnings, deep within the confines of your soul. Search deep within yourself, and reflect. And perhaps you will recall."

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Lyn blinked her eyes in surprise, trying to get her bearings. The last thing she remembered was that she had been speaking with that old man. A bright flash of light. And then she was where she currently stood.

Then, she felt a harsh cold envelop her. Not the simple coldness one would feel in winter. It was a strange coldness that had an unnatural feel to it. It was a coldness which sucked you dry of all your positive emotions.

Lyn bit her lips to stifle a cry of pain. She knew that the pain was purely emotional, but it felt so harsh, so real, that it amounted to physical pain.

Images began flashing through Lyn's mind, some of which seemed familiar, and some of which she didn't recognize.

Scenes. Events. People's faces. They all whipped through her head in an instant, too quickly for her to register most of the details. All except a few which lingered for a few fleeting seconds. And in all instances, there seemed to be something common. Just what, Lyn couldn't put her finger on.

Something purple.

A scene entered her mind and took over all of her senses, pushing all thoughts on the importance of her previous visions away.

People dying. One by one, they were all dropping down, like lifeless dolls which had been used for an oversoul but were now vacated.

Lyn felt something wet on her cheeks, and she raised her hands to her face in surprise.

_Tears?_

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Shinn looked down at the figure of the Chinese shaman leaning over Lyn, shoulders trembling slightly, before he looked away in distaste. All this love was making him sick.

Shinn lifted the scimitar he held in his hands and smirked. The power of the sword was indeed great. His necklace was pulling towards Lyn in sharp jerks, and Shinn could sense her life-force slowly ebbing away.

She was caught in the darkness. And she would not be able to escape.

_My dear sister…_

_It ends today…_

Shinn lifted his head and laughed maniacally. Unseen by anyone else on the battleground, unnoticed by Shinn himself, a tear rolled down his cheek. A tear of blood.

Unseen eyes watched this, and furrowed in anger.

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Maniacal laughter echoed in Lyn's mind as she looked around the slaughter field, desperately searching for any survivors of that massacre.

Whoever had done it was fast. Lyn hadn't even managed to sense him, let alone see him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lyn noticed the shadows shifting and taking the form of a cloaked man. She whipped her body around to face the man, and to her surprise, a sword appeared in her hands. An insubstantial sword made of a pure white light.

The man shifted his hood so that it covered his face further, then spread his arms out, challenging her to cut him down. Two robed figures appeared at his side and stepped forward, shielding him.

Lyn charged, and slashed with her sword. It cut through those two figures with ease, like a sharpened knife slicing through paper. Lyn grinned at her easy victory, and turned to the cloaked man.

Her triumphant expression turned to one of horror as the hoods of the two robed figures fell. Her legs trembled and she fell to the ground with a cry.

Lyn shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, then turned to the cloaked man, shadows in her eyes. She thrust the sword forward, and to her surprise, the man didn't attempt to dodge her attack.

The sword pierced through the man's side, and he fell silently. As he fell, the hood of his cloak lowered, and what Lyn saw, made her raise her hands to her mouth in horror.

_What have I done?  
__I have just killed my parents…_

_And my brother!_

Lyn closed her eyes, and allowed the darkness to consume her.


	22. Chapter 22: Bloodlust

**Wee! I'm writing this on the new laptop my mum just bought for me! It feels weird, and it'll take some getting used to, but who cares! With this, I can write anywhere, not just at home. Well, anywhere that I bring this laptop to anyway. Ahaha.**

**There's this song I've been hearing again and again on Inuyasha. I didn't like it much at first, but it grows on you. Haha. I'm not sure of the title. But it goes something like "Clean is dirty, as Dirty is clean." Something like that. Ahaha. That is, the English translation.**

**Oh yea…I like this certain Inuyasha opening. Grip! Haha. And I like Bankotsu. He's a little selfish, but at least he's loyal. I especially like his sword! Banryuu, was it? Ahaha.**

**This is a short chapter, because I wanted to use this title. Haha. Hope you enjoy it. Read and review.**

**Chapter 22- Bloodlust**

Ren lifted his head and stared at Lyn's body with concerned eyes when he felt her heartbeat weakening. This couldn't be happening. He didn't want to believe, to admit.

A fresh tear trickled down Ren's face, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand. When he took his hands down, his face was hard and his eyes were filled with an immense fury, a blazing wildfire so hot, it seemed freezing cold.

_Lyn…  
__The person who did this…  
__Will pay for his mistake  
__WITH HIS LIFE!_

Ren stood up slowly and walked over to where Horaiken had fallen previously. He picked it up and examined it, a glint in his eye.

Ren fingered the blade lightly, barely flinching when the sharp blade cut through his skin. He took hold of Horaiken's blade with his left hand, clenching his fists and watching as his blood flowed down the sword.

He smirked.

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Yoh chanced a glance at Ren and sighed. This was the very thing he had been afraid would happen.

"We have to end this soon, guys! Ren's going berserk!" Yoh shouted over his shoulder as he warded off the blows of his opponent, a tall man with flaxen hair. His name, as Yoh had heard his comrades calling him, was Yuudai.

"Alright man!" Horo Horo called in reply, leaping into the air and firing a barrage of icicle missiles amongst their enemies.

Hao nodded silently, and spoke to Yoh through the psychic connection all twins seemed to share. "Seeing the look on his face, its going to be worse then berserk. He's lusting for some blood already, and if we don't hurry, it's going to get a whole lot worse."

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Hui was shocked out of her thoughts when she saw a pool of blood gathering at Ren's feet. Her eyes traced the flow of the blood, and she let out a gasp when she saw that Ren was clenching Horaiken in his fists, a sadistic smirk on his face.

His face was twisted with immense hatred, and he looked as if he would like nothing better than to kill Shinn. Hui shuddered and averted her eyes from him. It was chilling to see him that way. Even when he had been angry with her, it hadn't been this bad.

Hui looked at the mayhem around her, and got to her feet unsteadily. A shuriken came flying towards her face, and her eyes widened, her body unable to react.

There was the sound of a projectile being launched, and Hui fell to the ground in relief as the shuriken was intercepted.

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"Are you alright?" Kaede asked worriedly as she ran towards Hui worriedly. Hui nodded wordlessly, her lips pale.

"Come on…let's get you to a safer place…" Kaede muttered, taking hold of Hui's hand and guiding her away from the battlefield. Hui looked at her in surprise. She hadn't exactly been very nice to Kaede, so why was Kaede helping her?

"Watch out!" Both Kaede and Hui looked up at the warning shout, and saw a thrown dagger heading in their direction. Hui's eyes widened in fear, but when she tried to bolt, she found that her legs had turned to jelly.

There was the sound of the dagger piercing through someone's body, a whispered cry of pain and a thump as someone fell to their knees.

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Hao's eyes widened in shock before he dashed towards Kaede, catching her just before her head hit the ground.

Hui was staring at Kaede, her eyes trembling with fear. "Why did you help me? I thought you hated me for all that I've done?" Hui asked in a cold voice, looking at Kaede while trying to hide the confusion she was feeling.

"I don't hate you…you are my sister…" Kaede murmured, a peaceful smile on her face. Hui looked at her, eyes brimming over with tears. "You don't hate me, despite the words I have said, the spite I have shown? Not just to you, but to your friends?"

Kaede shook her head weakly. "I have forgiven you for all of those, and I'm sure the others have too." Hui bit her lip at this statement. "I'm sorry…" She whispered, lowering her head.

"If you really want to apologise, you should apologise to those two. You hurt them the most." Hui looked up at Hao in surprise, then nodded her head. "Thank you." She said, trying to smile but failing miserably.

"Kaede…are you alright?" Hao asked, turning to Kaede worriedly. She nodded her head weakly. "Yea. The attack missed my vital points, so I'll live. Go help Yoh and the rest. Ren's going to go crazy any minute." "I'll stay with her." Hui told Hao before he could protest.

Hao nodded and ran off after a final concerned glance at Kaede.

_It's funny what a near death experience can do to people.  
__It changes them._

_Just like how I changed._

_And someone showing you love helps too._

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Shinn smirked as he stared Ren in his eye, although his stomach clenched under that unnerving gaze. His eyes were filled a sick perversion to see death, and that combination with hatred made the whole thing unbearable.

Given, his master's eyes held the same look, if not worse. But this was especially unnerving because it was directed at him.

Shinn felt his right hand trembling, and he steadied it with his left hand. He glanced down at the black scimitar in his hand. The scimitar was jerking, pulling towards Ren, almost eagerly. But that was only part of the reason why his hand was shaking.

Shinn was afraid.

For the first time in almost five years, Shinn felt fear eating at him from deep inside.

The last time had been when Li-An had been lying in his arms, dying.

Kind of like what was happening to Ren and Lyn now.

Shinn had nothing left to lose. He had lost everything the day Li-An had died.

So he had no reason to be afraid. Besides, with his master's power in hand, it was not possible for him to lose.

So why was he still trembling?

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Lyn felt herself sinking further into the darkness, a kind of relief death brought filling her. Suddenly, a hand plunged through the surface of the darkness, illuminating everything.

Lyn looked around curiously. She seemed to be moving towards the hand. Lyn was flung out of the pool by an unknown force, and she found herself standing face to face with a beautiful girl.

Her hair as black as night, and her brown eyes holding a joyous sparkle in them, she was a true beauty, perhaps even more so then Hui.

Hui… 

Where had that thought come from? Who was Hui?

Who was this girl who seemed so familiar to her?

_Each time, just when I feel like her name is on the tip of my tongue…  
__It slips out of my reach.  
__If only I could get her name…  
__I'm sure I would be able to remember from there._

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_You can't remember me. But I know you._

Lyn looked up at the girl in surprise. She had once known this girl? Then, why had she forgotten? She would never have forgotten anyone important to her.

Perhaps it was because she was dying, floating about aimlessly in this nothingness. After all, she felt as if she had forgotten a whole lot of other things.

_No. You forgot me even before that._

Lyn bit her lip and looked at the girl, guilt flooding her eyes. How could she ever have forgotten someone who looked upon her with such familiarity? She was seriously such an idiot.

There was a sound not unlike whispering bells, a sound which resounded with an infectious joy. Laughter. Lyn looked up at the girl in surprise, and there was that sound once more.

_You haven't changed a bit.  
__Stop blaming yourself, you silly girl.  
__You're not the one at fault._

_You had to forget me.  
__If you hadn't…_

_You might just have died…_

There was a prolonged silence, and the girl looked at her sadly.

_You always were a silly girl.  
__I really miss you.  
__It would be great if you could join me where I am.  
__It's a great place, one you would love._

_There aren't any wars there.  
__Peace is prevalent.  
__And your mother and father are enjoying themselves._

_It would be great to see you, and him again.  
__But your time has not come.  
__Neither has his._

_You two must live on._

_Live strong._

_You have to show him the path again.  
__He's lost, and he's crying for help deep inside.  
__And yet he keeps trying to hide it._

_Take care of him, all right?_

_You've grown up. You're a sensible girl now._

_Your parents and I have been really happy, seeing how much you've grown._

Lyn looked at the girl in wonder, a dreamy expression crossing her face. "Daddy and Mummy…are there? I want to go to where _they_ are…"

The girl shook her head, looking at Lyn with a stern expression.

_No, Lyn. Your time is not yet up._

_You have to keep living._

A smile crossed the girl's face, as if a amusing thought had crossed her mind.

_Oh yea. Your parents told me about him. Your boyfriend._

_He sounds cute. I think you guys would make a good couple._

Lyn blinked in surprise. Boyfriend? She didn't remember any boyfriend.

The girl smiled again, and then raised her hand and waved sadly.

_Well, its time to go now.  
__Time for both you and me to go.  
__But, you can't follow me, ok?  
__We are going to go separate paths from here._

_I'll always be watching over you._

_Goodbye._

Lyn watched in silence as the girl faded away. She felt a solitary tear roll down her cheek, and she wiped it away.

She continued staring at the spot where the girl had been standing, or rather floating. Then, her eyes widened as sudden realization hit her.

_Her lips never opened once, although she was speaking to me._

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Ren shifted his grip on Horaiken so that he was holding it by its hilt, and lifted the blade which was dripping with his blood to his lips, where he promptly licked it. He then proceeded to lick his left palm, blood trickling down the side of his mouth.

"It doesn't hurt."

Everybody on the battle field froze. Ren had seemed to be past the point where he could speak.

Ren raised his left palm so that it was in plain view, and stared murderously at Shinn.

"You see this? It doesn't hurt at all. When you hurt her, it hurt so bad. But now, it doesn't hurt anymore. Because I know that I'm going to kill you and avenge her, and then she's gonna be happy. So, it doesn't hurt."

Shinn blinked in surprise, and in that split second, Ren disappeared. Shinn calmed himself and looked around slowly. He already knew where Ren was. He just needed to put on a show.

_We'll see who ends up hurting who._

**Sorry about the delay! It sure has been a hectic Chinese New Year for me! Haha I just spent the whole of yesterday pigging out, and I had to face up to the fact that it was back to school today. Oh wells. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you think yea?**

**-Ade-**

**Oh and on a side note, what do you think love is? What's YOUR definition?**


	23. Chapter 23: Memories

**I'm really sorry I took so long to update! Me and my stupid writer's blocks. Haha. Just last week, my phone lines crashed. NO INTERNET! SOBS. But its ok now, although I still don't know what happened. My dad called the phone company, but HE doesn't know either… -.-"**

**YAY!!! 100 reviews! Thanks for supporting me thus far! I hope that I will continue to produce work that is to your liking and which meets your expectations!**

**Oh yea. Just in case you guys are confused, Ren's birthday passed a few chapters ago right? Well…He was 16 when the series started, so he's 17 now. Yoh is still 17, cos his birthday has yet to come, and the rest are the respective ages.**

**Kaede is 16, Lyn is 15.**

**Ooh. Another song from Inuyasha I like! It was an insert song in episode 124, "sayonara wa ashita no tame ni".**

**Ok…on with the chapter! I hope you guys like it! And thanks to all who told me their definitions of love. It was really nice reading all the different perspectives people have. Haha.**

**Chapter 23- Memories**

Shinn grimaced as he tried to bear the impact from Ren's attack. Wasn't rage supposed to cloud a person's mind so that he could not think clearly and leave him defenseless and thus weaker?

So why did it seem, that all of the Chinese shaman's weaknesses had been eliminated by his rage?

His speed and his strength were in a totally different league from before.

Even so, Shinn should have been more than capable of handling him. So why did it seem that Shinn was weaker?

It was almost as if he was reluctant to kill the Tao.

Shinn snorted, his snort turning into a grunt as Ren launched yet another attack on him. He had just killed his own sister. He had killed his parents. All with his own hands. What was there to be reluctant about now?

_I can't turn back now.  
__I will see this through to the very end._

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Lyn wrenched her hair in frustration. Try as she might, she simply could not call to mind memories of that strange girl.

She had searched through her memory banks for clues to that girl's identity, but every time the answer seemed just within her grasp, she would run up against a blank wall.

It was as if all her memories involving that girl had been wiped out. And where she still had her memories, there were huge loopholes in them.

It wasn't just the girl. Lyn felt as if she had forgotten many other things, and some of extreme importance.

And that boy with the purple hair. Who was he and why did images of him keep flashing through her mind?

As Lyn considered this, she felt a strange elation rising within her. Something that made her want to laugh.

_What is this feeling?  
__It makes me want to keep living.  
__Who is this person, of whom the mere thought can give me such strength?_

_That old man was right. I can't die yet.  
__I have to go back.  
__I feel like I have something important to complete._

_Not just that. I feel that I have left someone very important behind.  
__Someone I made a promise to._

_Who?!_

_I must remember.  
__I must open my eyes, and remember._

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**Flashback:**

"_Promise me something…"_

"_Promise me that you will never ever leave me alone in this world? Don't die before I do…and promise me that you will always be smiling?"_

"_I'm just worried…I've been having weird dreams lately…"_

"_Alright. I promise."_

**End flashback.**

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Yoh's face was grim as he slashed at his opponent, sending the blonde man flying back. He cast a glance towards Ren, who was in a heated duel with Shinn. He whipped his head back around as he heard the sound of running feet, and brought Harusame up in time to block the man's attack.

Yoh set his jaw determinedly. He didn't have time for this. Ren was fighting a senseless fight, something Lyn definitely would not have wanted.

It was time to test his powers as Shaman King.

Yoh gathered his furyoku, and was taken aback by the seemingly infinite flow of energy within him.

It was nearly the same as that time, three years ago, when he had fought Hao.

The energy from everyone. It had felt this exact same way.

Yoh smiled. He had a good feeling about everything.

_It WILL all work out somehow. I know it will._

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_I promise…_

Lyn fingered her lips thoughtfully. That voice had definitely been her own. But who had she made that promise to?

_That boy with purple hair?_

Lyn bit her lips. She couldn't seem to remember who that boy was and what he was to her.

She had to remember, somehow.

_But this memory is not the most important one.  
__There's something else…  
__Something more important…  
__If not in value, then in sentimentality._

_It's almost as if, that promise were the key to everything else._

_I can't give up here.  
__I have to keep remembering._

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"ARGH!!! Just fuck off already!"

Yoh grinned in amusement at his opponent's frustration, showing clearly in his language. This fight had been easy ever since he performed his ultimate oversoul. He hadn't even broken a sweat.

But it was time to end this.

Yoh raised Harusame above his head, preparing for an attack which would render his opponent unconscious.

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**Flashback:**

_Lyn clambered out the window of her room and onto the roof, lying down and enjoying the view of the clear blue sky._

_A cold wind blew, and Lyn shivered, drawing her robes closer to her slightly wet body. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to come out immediately after her bath. It was not yet winter, but winter was drawing closer, and the autumn winds weren't exactly gentle._

_Lyn grinned, ignoring the cold as she bathed in the bright light of the moon and enjoyed the crisp brightness of the stars._

_The stars always brought back so many memories, happy ones and sad ones alike. Of course, Lyn preferred to look at the happy memories. There was no point dwelling on the past._

"_My cup is half-full. The good things outweigh the bad by far…"_

_Stars held so much meaning. Too bad many failed to see that special, unique meaning which each individual star held._

_The night sky had been filled with bright, sparkling, jewel like stars when she had first met him._

_Lyn frowned thoughtfully at this. Sure…it had been a starry night, after the finals of the Shaman Fight. But not enough for her to describe it that way._

_That thought had just popped into her head, without any prompts needed._

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"_May I join you?"_

_Lyn looked around with a smile, although she didn't need to turn around to see who the owner of the voice was. She could recognize his voice anywhere._

"_Sure!" She smiled, watching as he sat down to her right. She noted that he, too, was dressed only in his robes._

"_Aren't you cold?"_

_Lyn looked at him in surprise, then laughed softly at his expression. They had each asked the other the same question at the exact same time._

_Lyn sat up and leaned forward, hugging her knees. "Nah…I'm fine…What about you?"_

_He nodded silently, his face remaining straight and serious. However, Lyn noticed that his cheeks were tinged with a slight blush._

_For a moment, Lyn wondered what he could be thinking about. As realization dawned on her, she raised her fingers to her lips and gently fingered them, her cheeks reddening rapidly. Within seconds, her face had turned scarlet._

_He looked at her, and then let out a nervous chuckle. It seemed they had both been thinking of the same thing._

_The kiss they had shared two nights before._

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_Lyn snuggled towards him, and laughed softly when he shifted in surprise. That was one of the things about him which was so endearing. He was so awkward in expressing his emotions, so shy when it came to showing his feelings, and yet, he always wanted things to be perfect._

_It was her turn to be surprised when she felt his arm slide around her waist, pulling her closer towards him._

_She had to admit thought…It was comfortable that way. She could feel warmth emanating from his body, a feeling which made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside._

_Lyn yawned, and then snuggled closer towards him. She knew that it was alright even if she fell asleep here. He would bring her back to her room._

_Lyn felt her eyelids drooping, and she fell asleep with a peaceful smile on her face._

_After all, she was in safe hands._

**End Flashback.**

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Yoh's eyes widened as his blonde opponent was sent flying, landing unconscious about a meter away.

"No one tells _my_ Yoh to fuck off, you hear me?"

Yoh released his oversoul, scratching the back of his head. "Uh…thanks, Anna…I"

Yoh gulped, biting his tongue in mid-sentence as Anna turned around. She looked really angry.

To his surprise, she gave him a small smile. "Go on. You've got more important things to do, don't you?"

Yoh blinked in surprise. Things were getting really strange. Anna, being nice for a change? And for no reason whatsoever?

Perhaps this was a test of some sort.

"Yoh. You had better go there and knock some sense into the Tao right now, before I decide to do it myself. He is getting on my nerves with his stupidity."

Upon hearing the tone of Anna's voice, Yoh decided she was serious and meant what she said. He hurriedly got up and ran towards Ren.

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Lyn felt a wave of emotions surging within her. Memories of that boy with purple hair were flooding her mind. She could feel all the raw emotion in those memories, and knew every single memory to be genuine.

How could she have forgotten?

Their promises to each other, how safe she felt in his arms, how much he meant to her.

How could she have forgotten all those?

But even now, when those memories were all returning, there was something missing.

She still could not remember his name.

And that strange girl. She still could not remember anything about how she was related to that girl.

_Think…_

_A memory that goes back to the very beginning.  
__A memory which was erased._

_I have to find my lost memories._

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_Such hatred.  
__I haven't felt like this since I defeated my father.  
__But this guy…he killed Lyn.  
__His own sister!_

_I have to make him pay…_

_It's time to use the great spirits' strength!_

Ren gathered his furyoku, and was nearly overwhelmed by the fury of the power flooding him. It felt as if he was caught in a tsunami.

If I let my guard down for so much as a split second… 

I will be swept away to this power.

_I have to keep fighting this force._

_I will be in control._

_A Tao will not lose to something like this._

A bead of sweat rolled down Ren's forehead, and Ren gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to just throw up.

"Why, Tao. Are you tired already?" Shinn asked in a mocking voice.

Ren replied with a smirk. So this guy was immune to an oversoul? Well, there were other ways to use furyoku, other then using it to form an oversoul.

Oh, there were _so_ many ways.

Ren concentrated his furyoku at Horaiken's tip, and then released it to create a powerful shockwave.

He smiled. It was over. The attack would be a direct hit, and its effects would be similar to that of a physical attack.

**Would this be considered a cliffhanger ending? Oh well. I love cliffhangers. –Grins- I can't stand the suspense, but that's what makes it so fun!**

**Just to let you guys know, chapter 24 was supposed to be part of this chapter, but I decided to break it up into 2 separate chapters. And no. I haven't started on chapter 24, but I have a rough idea of what's going to happen.**

**Is there anything wrong with having plot twists towards the end of a story? Hmm…**


	24. Chapter 24: Me against the world

**Haha remember when I said that I knew what was going to happen in chapter 24? Well, I don't now. The characters ran away and refused to do what I wanted them to, and chapter 24 continued sitting there, untouched. Haha and after much thinking through, I finally realized that the setting was not complete.**

**Although Shinn is supposed to be my villain, I actually like him quite a bit. I think by the end of this chapter, I'm gonna hate him and love him at the same time. He's just that kind of guy. LOL.**

**Anyways, I'm sorry for the late update. Argh. No inspiration, no time, no mood, and my Internet is down.**

**And before I forget, Li-An is a year older than Lyn.**

**This chapter's gonna be short! I think…**

**Chapter 24- Me against the world**

"Shinn!"  
"Shinnn! Shinnn!"

Shinn looked up from where he was seated to see a girl of about 4 walking towards him with a serious look on her face, clutching a younger girl's hand.

The younger girl was completely oblivious to the serious look on her companion's face, and was chanting Shinn's name cheerfully.

Shinn smiled gently and held out a hand, and the younger girl ran towards him, throwing her arms around his waist with a cheeky grin. "Shinn! Lyn loves you!"

Shinn patted the little girl's head gently. "Yes, Lyn…I know…" He looked up at the other girl concernedly. "Li-An? What's wrong?"

"Lately, I've seen Lyn sneaking out to give some of her lunch to the wild dogs. I'm afraid she will…" Li-An bit her lips hesitantly.

Somehow, even though she was Lyn's older sister, Lyn never listened to her. Shinn, on the other hand, could get Lyn's attention without raising his voice. However, this problem with wild dogs had been one even he couldn't do anything about.

Shinn nodded in understanding, and turned to Lyn with a stern look on his face. Lyn wrinkled her nose at him, sticking her tongue out.

"How many times have I told you that you can't go and play with those wild dogs? They are fierce and might bite you."

Lyn shook her head furiously at this statement. "Doggies friendly! There's Mikey, Leeon, Donny and…"

Shinn held a finger to Lyn's lips, and she blinked in surprise. There was a twinkle of amusement as he looked her in the eye. She had actually gone to the extent of naming those dogs? And with references to the show, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"?

Lyn never ceased to amaze him. Shinn didn't know whether to call it innocence or ignorance.

"Lyn, just promise me you won't go out and play with those doggies again, okay? You'll make mummy and daddy worried…"

Lyn opened her mouth to protest, then lowered her head and nodded reluctantly. Shinn smiled and patted her head fondly, and she grinned at him before running back towards the house.

"You _do_ realize that she's going to forget her promise in a few days time, don't you?"

Shinn looked up at Li-An with a grin. "Yea. I know. We'll just have to watch out for her then, don't we?"

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"Shinn dear, do you have any idea where your sister is?"

Shinn looked up in surprise, a concerned look on his eyes when he saw the distracted look on his mother's face.

"Who?"

Tsukiko looked at her son in surprise. "Why, don't you even know who your sister is?"

Shinn looked at Tsukiko worriedly. She seemed very forgetful these few days, after they had come to China to visit their relatives over the new year.

"Oh. Lyn. Do you know where she is?" Tsukiko seemed to realize her mistake and gave Shinn a worried smile. Shinn shook his head slowly, standing up and dusting the seat of his pants. "I'll go look for her…"

"Thanks dear…I'll be in the house if you need me."

Shinn watched as his mother walked away. Perhaps he should talk to Kenshin about this. It wasn't like Tsukiko to be this absent-minded. This was reason enough for concern.

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"Lyn? What's wrong?" Shinn asked in concern as he bent down to wipe Lyn's tear-stained face. When there was no reply, Shinn lifted Lyn up and sat down on a nearby tree stump, sitting her on his lap. He pulled her head towards his chest, stroking her head and patiently waiting for an answer.

As he waited, he slowly began deliberating the reason's that Lyn was crying. Was it homesickness? After all, this was the tenth day since they had arrived in China, and for a kid like her, ten days away from home was a long time.

But it seemed that was not the case. Lyn opened her mouth to speak, and Shinn watched her face carefully. And struggled to keep a straight face at what she said.

"Lyn went to bridge and called and called. But kitties didn't come. Kitties don't want Lyn anymore!! Shinnn!!"

Shinn continued stroking her head to comfort her, waiting patiently for Lyn to calm down. As he did so, he saw a shadow out the corner of his eye, and he turned his head, his eyes alert, but the shadow was gone.

That had definitely been someone. Someone who had been watching them, But who would do such a thing? In the first place, they knew a minimal number of people in China.

Shinn's attention turned back to Lyn as she murmured something.

"Pardon? I didn't quite catch you, Lyn."

"And when Lyn went find Cuddles, couldn't find him."

At this, Shinn blinked in astonishment. Wasn't Cuddles the name Lyn had given her teddy bear? If that was the case…

"Isn't Cuddles in your room?"

Lyn sniffed at this, shaking her head against his chest. "Not _that_ Cuddles!" She pulled away from Shinn, her eyes red and puffy. "S'okay. Lyn go her room and play with other Cuddles."

Shinn watched in puzzlement as Lyn walked away, her shoulders slumping. Just then, he heard familiar footfalls approaching him from behind. He turned around with a small grin on his face. "What's up?"

Li-An stared at Lyn's disappearing back with a concerned expression. "What was Lyn crying about?"

"Kittens." Shinn replied with a grin. "Oh yea. Do you have any idea who Cuddles is?"

Li-An laughed lightly. "Is that a trick question? Isn't Cuddles Lyn's teddy?" Li-An looked at Shinn curiously, and saw that he was serious.

"Nope. There's another Cuddles, apparently."

"Well, I have seen Lyn playing with a small Chinese boy lately."

Shinn nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Li-An with a smile. "Anyway, let's head in. It's getting dark."

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Shinn lay on his bed and stared blankly at the ceiling. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way. But he couldn't help it.

She had always been there for him. She had always listened to his rants without complaint.

She was beautiful. And not just physically. Her heart was beautiful. She was so kind to every single person. And her gentle touch. He had used to love feeling her gentle fingers tending to his injuries.

But now, every touch of hers was unbearable. Every touch made him want to kiss her, to hold her close to him.

Shinn knew that it was a sin to feel this way.

It was the feeling of strong, innocent love that he felt for her. Nothing wrong with that, surely. And yet, it was loving her itself which was a crime.

Shinn reached for the pillow under his head and covered his face with it.

He was just so confused by it all.

_How can I be in love with my own sister?_

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"That girl's a jinx! She'll just bring disaster down on the whole village! We must kill her before that happens!"

Shinn placed himself between Li-An and the angry villagers protectively. "Don't worry. I'll protect you."

The frightened Li-An nodded, tears of fear in her eyes. At this, Shinn felt an immense anger build up inside him, along with all the other pent-up emotions he had kept inside of him for the past year.

She saw the rage blazing through his eyes, and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. But it did nothing to calm him. If anything, it added to the turmoil inside of him.

"Li-An did nothing to harm you all, so why are you coming after her so relentlessly?!"

"The oracle has spoken! If we don't get rid of that girl soon, doom will come upon the whole village!" Came the villagers' enraged reply.

"The oracle is just a seventeen-year-old girl who wants Shinn all for herself!" Shinn looked up in surprise, and saw Lyn standing at the top of a nearby cliff, pointing her sword at the villagers.

"The oracle makes unbiased predictions, and her predictions always come true!"

Lyn snorted at this comment, and jumped off the cliff, landing lightly beside Shinn.

"That does not mean the oracle will not fail. The oracle is human at the end of the day, and humans will make mistakes from time to time. If you claim that she is infallible, then it is as good as saying that she is not human."

"The gods have blessed the oracle with the greater insight so that she will not fail."

"She's just a bloody shaman…" Lyn growled under her breath, her eyes flashing. Shinn looked at her in surprise, and she grinned at him.

She had found out about his feelings for Li-An the previous year, but instead of feeling repulsed, she had smiled at him and promised to keep it secret.

Her reasoning? She had thought that he and Li-An looked right together.

Shinn placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, preparing to draw it. Just then, one of the villagers' shouted, "Those who defend her are sinners!"

Shinn's eyes widened, and his arms dropped to his side weakly. They were right. He was a sinner. He should not love her. It was not right to love his own sister.

He felt a firm hand on his shoulder, and saw Lyn smiling at him encouragingly. "You made a resolution that day, didn't you? That you would protect her. So don't hesitate. Embrace your decision with your head held high."

Shinn nodded, and he drew his sword resolutely.

_I will protect her._

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"_With her memories of Li-An erased, she should be fine."_

"_What about him?"_

"_He's too far gone. There's nothing we can do."_

"_He's our son!"_

"_But there is nothing we can do. I want to help him. But look at his eyes. They are the eyes of a madman."_

"_If we were to erase his memories…"_

"_That is impossible. He has already set up a barrier around those memories. We can't reach him anymore."_

"_It's all my fault. I should have told him about Li-An's true identity sooner."_

"_She's only his adopted sister. He was no sinner to love her."_

Adopted sister? So what he had thought was a sin this past year, was not a sin after all?

Shinn lifted his head, bitter tears freely flowing down his face, and he laughed.

And then, he heard a voice in his head.

_How would you like unlimited power, to take revenge on the whole world, who owes you your lost love? How would you like the power to revive her?_

He hated the world. And he would make them pay.

**Well, relatively short chapter anyway. Thanks for reading it, and patiently waiting for my update. WHEE!!!**

**I'll update chapter 25 ASAP.**


	25. Chapter 25: The Forgotten Name

**Disclaimer: Someone told me it was stated that disclaimers were compulsory in the terms and conditions, so yea. I do not own Shaman King.**

**I'm really sorry for the long time I was on hiatus. I will still more or less be so, but hopefully I can begin rearranging my schedule so that I finish at least one chapter every two weeks? XD**

**Lets see…This will be the last time I put the update status in the summary, or on my profile. From now on, for updates, you can go to ade5kira.blogspot .com and check for news there. (: And also, if I'm playing around with a few ideas for a certain chapter, I will post those ideas there and call for a vote. :D The proper link can be found on the homepage link of my profile. (:  
**

**So yes, reorganizing everything after a long time spent away. Heh. Tag at my blog yea? I wanna chat with you guys. No posting reviews there though. Strictly for communication purposes only. Heh.**

**This chapter looks to be quite long. :3**

**Chapter 25- The Forgotten Name**

Lyzerg easily dodged his opponent's attacks, and a giant hand picked up the squealing man and easily squashed his oversoul. Yoh and Ren weren't the only ones who had gotten stronger.

Lyzerg ran to where the others were watching as Ren attacked Yoh aggressively. With both boys calling upon the power of the great spirits, they seemed untouchable, and no one dared make a move against them.

Strangely, Shinn had a pained expression on his face, and had been forced to his knees barely a few feet from where Lyzerg stood. Still, there was a shield of immense furyoku preventing anyone from reaching him.

"That bastard…that he could actually turn against Yoh like that…" Hao muttered from where he knelt, Kaede's head resting on his legs.

Kaede smiled weakly, murmuring something, and Lyzerg caught the words "Of course…angry…shielded…hurt"

"He's not yet strong enough. He lost his rationality far too easily…" Lyzerg growled, clenching his fists as he watched Yoh defend against Ren's attacks.

Hui's eyes watered as she heard this, and she held on tightly to her sister's hand. She was the cause of all this. If she hadn't come between Ren and Lyn, this wouldn't have happened. If only she had met Kaede earlier…if only she'd had a mother who taught her important values instead of spending all day gossiping.

But at the end of the day, she had chosen to follow in her mother's footsteps…that had been her own fault, and it was now too late. All her sins were crashing down on her shoulders.

"Don't blame yourself for all this. None of it is your fault. Lyn chose to leave of her own accord. Lyn chose to take this fight upon herself and not accept any help. Whether you had been here or not, the outcome would likely have remained." Hao said, putting a hand on her shoulder and flashing her an encouraging smile.

Hui nodded, watching her sister's pained expression with tears in her eyes.

_But seeing Ren like that…__  
It's both amazing and scary.  
That he can love so much,  
__Such that he hates so strongly._

_--_

Shinn gave a gasp as another bright flash of light overpowered the dark aura of the scimitar, seeming to burn his hands, but leaving only smooth skin.

It seemed that his master's dark power was losing its hold over Lyn. That was impossible.

Shinn was surprised to see a few drops of blood on the ground, and he raised his hands to his mouth to wipe the blood away, but found that his mouth was clean. He blinked in surprise, and felt something forcing its way out of his left eye, and he wiped it away, staring at his hand in wonderment.

_I'm…crying…tears of…blood?_

Shinn looked up to where Lyn's lifeless body lay, a few feet away from him. At that moment, he suddenly felt like his soul was being ripped into two. One half mourned the loss of his sister dear, and the other mocked her weakness, and told Shinn that his path was right, that this was the way to grow stronger and get Li-An back.

Shinn shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He slowly looked around the battlefield, looking at his sister's handiwork. He recognized the swords in the ground, and stared wonderingly at how Tsubasa and Murasame lay on a line parallel to each other. He grimaced as there was another flash of light, but continued observing the battlefield.

Suddenly, his lips curved upwards into a smirk. So that had been her plan. That technique their father had developed, and which Lyn had had to modify due to the uniqueness of her spirit. Lyn hardly practiced this skill as it was extremely draining, but the last time he had observed her training, she had failed this attack pathetically.

She must have been truly desperate to attempt this technique. But it wouldn't work. His master's prophecies always came true, and one of them would die that day. And that person would be Lyn.

Shinn tried to get up and move towards her body, but fell back to his knees as the flashing came more regularly. How could this be? How could Lyn be finding the strength to resist the darkness?

_Always challenging the impossible…she hasn't changed a bit…_

--

Lyn smiled at the angel standing before her, as a name surfaced from the depths of her mind.

"Heilige…"

_Lyn…how much do you want to remember everything? How much do you want to fill the gap in your memories?_

Lyn started at this sudden question, and started at Helige as if he was someone else. And it felt like he was someone else, for him to suddenly ask something like this. But at the same time, she felt a burning sensation in her heart, and insatiable thirst for a memory so precious but long lost.

No…not a memory. But her memories.

"I want to know."

_Then now is the time. You should be strong enough._

--

Lyn watched as her younger self ran towards an older girl, one who looked like she would grow up to be a beauty. "Li-An jiejie! Come play with Lyn!"

Li-An smiled as Lyn grabbed her hand and pulled her away, casting a look back at Shinn and shrugging her shoulders with a laugh. Shinn grinned and walked away, shaking his head at his bossy little sister.

Lyn dragged Li-An towards the river, and then let go of her hand and threw her shoes to one side before wading into the current. Li-An sat down at the bank and watched Lyn attempting to catch the fishes, laughing when the poor girl fell headfirst into the shallow water.

Lyn suddenly looked up as if she had seen something, and called out, "Cuddles! Don't be scared! Li-An jiejie is friend!"

A small head with a tongari supported on a mess of purple hair cautiously emerged from behind a tree on the opposite bank, and declared indignantly, "I'm not scared! Taos fear nothing!"

Lyn shrugged this comment off and pulled her friend over to meet Xue Li-An.

The scene faded, and Lyn was left surrounded in darkness. She heard Heilige's voice echoing around her.

_Do you remember, Lyn? Your precious sister…_

--

Ren froze for a second, but only a second, as he heard a gentle voice speak to him.

_Tao Ren! Let go of your rage. The lock is about to be opened, and she needs you now, more than ever._

For what did it matter? Lyn was dead. Whatever lock this voice spoke of was of no regard.

Ren launched himself forward, attempting a slash at Yoh, who blocked his attack soundlessly.

"C'mon, Ren!" Yoh laughed, though somewhat half-heartedly. It would take something more than a miracle to shake Ren out of his rage.

There was a small sigh over the battlefield.

--

Shinn's head shot up. "Li-An?!"

He listened carefully, and heard nothing, nothing but the sounds of battle from those two.

Shinn growled at himself to wake up, that she was gone, and that the only one who could bring her back was his master. He focused all the rage that sound had reawakened into the scimitar, attempting to overpower the pulsing light.

Someone watched all this with disapproval. It seemed this one was going to outlive his usefulness soon.

--

As if a lock had been released, memories long sealed away flooded Lyn's mind like water rushing over a broken dam. And with those memories came immense love, and bitter pain, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

The person who had been there for her all through her life, the one she ran to when she had thought her first crush was angry with her and was gone for good.

Lyn gazed blankly into the darkness for a moment. There really was no reason for this love. It was just like how you knew you loved your parents. There wasn't any real reason, it was simply there. No matter how many quarrels, how many fights, it always resurfaced and made it impossible to remain angry with the other.

Blood ties above all else, yet ironically, they hadn't been related by blood.

But those bastards who had killed her simply on the whims of a seventeen year old shaman. Ignorant fools they had been.

Lyn took a breath, trembling in fear at her own rage. No. She shouldn't direct her rage towards those people, for they had been nothing but foolhardy morons. The real mastermind had been that woman…

_Get a hold of yourself!_

Lyn gasped at the harshness of Heilige's voice. But it was not uncalled for. Anger didn't get anyone anywhere. Revenge never ended in peace.

And Shinn's rage was only a cycle of chaos unto himself.

She had to bring an end to that.

She had to get away from this place…

"Heilige…"

The angel nodded his head, and Lyn was surrounded by a bright light which should have burned her eyes, yet only laid its touch on her tender eyes gently.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lyn saw a familiar scene playing itself.

--

_She stared at him, her face still wet with fresh tears._

"_Why are you crying?" He asked, his eyes filled with kindness._

"_Because…Because…Lyn was running after the doggies, and then…Lyn got lost and now she can't find her way home!"_

"_Where are you staying right now?" Lyn described the place to the boy, and he took her hand in his, leading her on a path lit only by the moonlight._

_Lyn stared in wonderment at the boy's face, half lit by the light of the moon and the stars, and half hidden in shadow. Looking at this face, Lyn felt a strange feeling, one that made her want to just hug this boy, tongari and all._

"_Can Lyn call you cuddles?"_

_The boy blinked in surprise, then nodded curtly, although there was a slight upward twist to his mouth._

_--_

Lyn smiled at the tenderness this memory left her with. So that had been when she had first met him. But if only she could remember his name.

"_Lyn has to go, byebye cuddles."_

"_I've told you my name a thousand and one times." The boy looked up and said gruffly, although there was a slight blush on his cheeks._

_He reached out and grabbed her hand, and placed a single earring on her hand. "Pierce your ear and wear that, and when I grow up, I'll find you and…I'll…"_

_Lyn laughed at his shyness, and nodded happily. "Yes, yes, Lyn will, you silly Tao-"_

She opened her eyes.

--

Shinn gasped as his hand burned in pure agony, akin to dipping it into a pool of red-hot magma twenty times, all at the same time. He watched in horror as his master's scimitar melted away, and watched as Lyn's lifeless body twitched.

This couldn't be…His master's scimitar was all powerful. Someone like her couldn't break it.

_But it's precisely because of who she is that she is the one to break it._

Shinn blinked in surprise at that subconscious thought. This battle had been one that had seemed to shake his determination. He was actually relieved that Lyn had made it.

He would withdraw, if only he could. But he was bound by the prophecy his master had made. It would end today, no matter what. There was no way prophecy could be defied.

It was his destiny.

--

"Lyn's getting up!" Choco Love exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement.

Lyzerg's head snapped to where Lyn's comatose body had lain, and saw that indeed, she was getting up.

_At last, Ren will come to his senses._

To his surprise, the name Lyn called was unfamiliar to all of them.

"Cuddles!"

Ren's eyes widened, and he turned around to where Lyn was slowly, in shock. Lyzerg took a sigh of relief. This was the end of that, at the very least.

"I had nearly forgotten that name…I had pushed those memories away…" Ren murmured unblinkingly, making as if to let go of Horaiken.

Lyn grinned, as a earring shimmered into view on her left ear. "I had forgotten too, but Heilige released that seal for me."

Suddenly, Ren seemed as if he was snapping out of a trance, and turned to Shinn with a vicious smile on his face.

"You're good, to use my memories to create this illusion…You think I'd fall for a pathetic trick like that?"

Shinn hid his surprise, and smirked. Yes. He could still turn this around. He could buy some time for himself.

"You're better than I thought, to have seen through that trick." He snarled, and began laughing evilly.

Rage contorted Ren's face once again, and he launched himself at Lyn this time.

_Anyone who tries to be her…will pay dearly for their mistake._

--

"Thank you…" Lyn whispered to Yoh, who was standing in front of her, having blocked Ren's attack on her. Yoh turned his head slightly, and grinned, then turned back to Ren, his eyes flashing angrily.

"That you could actually raise your hand against her…Perhaps you have to be beaten to your senses." He muttered through his teeth. Ren smirked, and raised his hand for another attack.

"Yoh. I need your help. Knock him back towards where Shinn is, and then get out of the area and lend me your strength."

Yoh grinned, understanding and trusting immediately that Lyn had a plan.

Lyn stooped down and picked up her sword, fringe hiding her face as she bit her lips in fear. There was no room for error. She had to succeed, because now there were two lives on the line.

She was about to pierce Ancient Warrior into the ground, but reconsidered and instead unlocked Phoenix flame, and drove it deep into the ground.

"Archangel in Heartblade, oversoul!"

--

Shinn's smirk was erased as he saw his sister begin the incantation. It seemed she had decided to go ahead with the risk. He tried to get up and run, but something was holding his legs in place.

He smiled in relief, for the first time in a long time. It seemed he would join Li-An before he could bring her back. He would pay for all the sins he had committed. He would die here and now, and his master's prophecy would come true.

He watched as a bright light shot up from each of the swords embedded in the ground, laughed as he saw Ren pounding on the walls that now surrounded them in a futile attempt to get out. An unseen force pushed Ren back so that he stumbled into Shinn, and they found their nerves numbed, unable to make a single movement.

--

Yoh could feel Lyn's desperation as he poured his furyoku into her, and he knew the others would be able to feel it as well. He watched as Lyn sank into her attack stance, then rushed in towards where the two boys were.

Lyn looked at Ren's eyes both sadly and fearfully at the same time. She had never finished this attack in its original state, let alone its modified state. But she had to modify it. There was no way she was killing them.

Not that it would make a difference if she failed.

Saying a prayer in her heart, Lyn raised her swords and drove them into Shinn and Ren, breathing a sigh of relief as she felt all the furyoku pouring through her into the two boys. It would seem she had succeeded.

She felt a throbbing pain in her side, and she placed her hand around Horaiken which had been pierced through her abdomen.

--

Ren felt immense energy wash over him, giving him the sensation of having been thrown into ice cold water. He watched as Lyn gave him a smile, and he vaguely saw her eyes close before he blacked out.

The last words he heard came from Shinn.

_Li-An?_

**Woohoo! :3 I hope this chapter was acceptable, I feel really out of practice. T.T**


	26. Epilogue: Here's to Destiny

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King and all related copyrights.**

**Back after a long time, and I've made a big (sorta) decision. This will be the final chapter for Destiny. HAHAHAHA. After waiting for so long right? :/**

**But! It's not the end! There's a sequel. I do not know the title, but I'll decide on one by the time I finish writing out this chapter. ^^**

**A lot of conversation the first part. A heck of a lot. And whatever is within the square brackets is Ren's simultaneous thoughts, for the first part only.  
**

**So. Lets go! :D**

**Epilogue- Here's to Destiny**

"_I've always believed…__  
Destiny…__  
Isn't something you wait for, to sweep you off your feet.  
Whether you like it or not."_

"_You're bleeding…"_

"_I've always liked to think…__  
That Destiny is something…  
You grasp,  
with your own two hands."_

"_Stop talking…you're bleeding…"_

"_Silly boy…I'm fine. Let's just stay like this for awhile…"_

"_But…  
_…

_Fine."_

[I just couldn't argue…when you made that face…]

---------------------------------------------------------

"_So you don't believe in fate?"_

"_I do! I mean, it's silly not to, right? There are things that are out of our control in this world. Like who our parents are. People we meet. All those are not within our control, nor can we predict it."_

"_Then…aren't fate and destiny the same thing?"_

"_Heh. I'm glad you asked. In my books, Fate determines for you. Destiny is created by your choice. Mostly from what you do with the cards fate deals you."_

"_Its just wordplay, isn't it? You still have to go along with fate."_

"_Fate actually counts for nothing much. It just throws you cards, and you decide how you want to play them. For example, meeting you was fate. Falling in love with you was probably fate. But deciding to be together with you…admitting I loved you…all those decisions created part of my destiny for me."_

"_Makes sense…But what's the point of telling me all this suddenly?"_

"_I don't know. I'm just glad, I guess. Shinn's prophecy…I managed to prevent it. I fought against what was fated. What others believed was destined."_

"…"

"_Ren?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_After all this…I need to leave for awhile…to settle some things…  
I promise I'll come back.  
I promise…  
So…Don't try to find me…please?  
_…

…  
_You don't have to wait for me. Just don't try to find me.  
I'm begging you…"_

[How could I promise you anything like that…  
And yet. I nodded my head.  
Why the hell did I nod my head?]

[I guess. At that point of time, as we were sitting in the truck…it felt like the right thing to do.  
I trust you.  
So…  
I'll be waiting for you…]

----------------------------------------------------------------------

_Come back to me…_

Ren was about to open his eyes when he felt someone's fingers brush his hair gently, and he opened one eye only to find Hui smiling at him. Throwing the covers off, he jumped out of the bed and stood there, glaring at Hui through his narrowed golden eyes, ignoring the trembling of his legs and the pain that shot through his body.

"Wha-"

He was about to ask what she was doing and demand that she get out of the room, but stopped himself when he realized that she was just standing there, hands clasped as she looked down at the floor, shoulders slumped. That action didn't feel fake.

Not just that. There was something different about her posture. She seemed less haughty, and strangely, kinder. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Where's Yoh?"

He watched as her whole face perked up when she realized that he wasn't going to chase her away. She smiled, telling him to sit and wait while she went to get Yoh-kun. It seemed that it wasn't just his imagination. She really had changed.

A hundred questions raced through Ren's mind as he sat down on the bed. How had he gotten into a room? He had been fighting, then they had rode on a truck, and the next thing he knew, he was here, wherever here was.

Ren shook his head, trying to clear the fuzziness that seemed to be preventing him from thinking clearly, and regretted the action immediately when it caused his head to spin uncontrollably. He leant back onto the wall, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

His entire body felt weak, as if he had been running around for an entire week without rest, and parts of him hurt or ached so badly it felt as if those parts had been ripped off and glued back on. Ren raised his trembling right hand up to his face, taken aback but not surprised to see that it was bandaged. He could vaguely remember that he had hurt it, but he could not recall how for the life of him.

Ren growled in dissatisfaction. It wasn't right for a Tao not to know things. A Tao knew everything, and yet here he was, with huge blanks in his memory.

"Ren! You're awake!"

Ren turned around at Yoh's greeting, and his jaw dropped when the rest of the gang followed behind Yoh. And indeed, Horo Horo, Ryu and Choco Love fighting to fit in through the door was quite a sight to behold. Annoyed at the hold up, Anna and Hao kicked the three idiots, sending them flying towards the bed.

Ren muttered a few curses as he watched the three idiots looming down on him with pained expressions on their faces, quickly rolling off the bed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kaede's dad was really nice about it, no questions asked, even though he looked surprised when we said Shinn was Lyn's brother."

Ren nodded thoughtfully as Yoh finished his sentence. He had had his memory return slowly as Yoh recounted the events that had landed him here, in a guest bedroom at Kaede's mansion. But he was not satisfied with Yoh telling him what he had missed and remembering what he had forgotten momentarily.

"Yoh. Where's Lyn?"

Yoh stared at Ren in silence for a moment, and for that moment, the whole room, including Choco Love, was silent.

"She left…"

At this, Ren let out the breath he had been holding, his shoulders shuddering as he tried to reign in his emotions. She had really gone and done it, left him alone again. He had been hoping against hope that she was still resting, or recovering, so that he could at least have said goodbye.

"She didn't even let me say goodbye…" Ren muttered, clenching his fists tightly as he bent over, feet gripping the floor tightly. The marble floor was cold to his bare skin, and sent a chill running up his legs, one that he ignored.

"She didn't want to say goodbye. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to leave."

Gritting his teeth, Ren heard this, and knew that it was true. He had known from the start. But hearing it said was a totally different thing.

"She said…not to worry…that she's got Shinn with her."

Ren's head snapped upwards at this. How could he not worry when it was Shinn with her? He would probably try to kill her or something. Sensing the cause of his worry, Yoh placed a comforting hand on Ren's shoulder, opening his mouth to speak, but closing it stupidly when Lyzerg spoke up.

"That attack she used…I don't know how…but he seemed more rational…they had a talk…they're okay now…"

Ren nodded, lowering his head so he was staring at the floor once more. The rest remained silent, as if waiting for him to say something. After several minutes of silence, Ren looked up, and saw that everyone was looking at him expectantly. Not knowing what to say, he stared at them dumbly, and they stared back.

"For goodness sake! Are you going after her or not?!" Anna demanded, glaring at him impatiently. He started at her mutely, and then at Yoh, who had a determined look on his face.

"No."

_I made a promise...  
To her.  
I can't possibly break a promise that I've made to her._

Yoh breathed a sigh of relief at this, then dug into his pocket for something. Taking out a single silver stud, he held it out towards Ren, who took it hesitantly.

"She told me to give this to you if you promised. You don't have to wear it unless you want to. Her exact words."

Ren nodded sadly, taking the earring from Yoh. Despite his bravado, his whole mind and heart was screaming at him to go after her, to hold her close to him and never let go, never again.

Except for one part, buried deep inside of him, that trusted that they would see each other again, soon.

His words had seemed to lift a heavy weight from the atmosphere in the room, although there was a general air of disappointment as well. Everyone surrounded him, each talking to everyone else about something, no one listening to anything, everyone speaking at the same time, at the top of their lungs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Unnoticed, Ren slipped away, out the glass doors to the balcony. As he looked up at the midday sun, his eyes glittered with unshed tears, his face twisted upwards in an agonized smile. He recalled the day he had first met Lyn, the day of their fight at the semi-finals of the Shaman King tournament.

He turned his head slightly when he heard the door creak open, and Yoh slipped out.

"I've been wondering, Ren. Who's Cuddles?"

Ren began explaining how the nickname had come to be, smiling when he finished. Who would've thought his childhood sweetheart, a love found in the childish heart of a four year old, would turn out to be the love of his life. Truly, it was his…no…their fate. And from here, he would create his own Destiny.

Yoh headed back to the room with a grin, and Ren looked back at the sun one last time with a less pained smile, one that seemed at peace even, before heading back into the room as well.

_Here's to Destiny._

**END! HAHAHAHAHAHA. :D That brings Destiny to a close, really sorry that you guys had to wait so long for this unexpected ending. =.= Title…title…oh crap, I really don't know. _ UH. UH. I'll post it on my author's profile when I've decided. :/ Hahahah!**

**At any rate, I hope this was satisfactory! Thanks for all your support these 26 chapters, I hope you all will continue to support me! You guys have really been a great encouragement, and I'm really thankful. As always, tell me what you think, and I'll be able to try and improve from there! Thanks. ^^**

**By the way, I've started making AMVs as well. I've only made one so far, but I'm planning to make more, so just check out this username in YouTube if you're interested.**


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